Bounty Hunters in the Land Down Under
by isabellsah cullen
Summary: ON HIATUS. BABE! Steph, Ranger, Lula and Tank go to Australia to catch a skip. Let the romance and comedy ensue. Minor Language, heavy petting, possible Smut in later chapters...don’t know about violence...probably not. Not Morelli friendly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Summary: Steph, Ranger, Lula and Tank go to Australia to catch a skip...you'll have to read it to find out the rest :D**

**Romance/Comedy Rated PG15+ (for the moment) **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich**

* * *

Prologue

SPOV

Great. It's early November, pitch black outside, indicating that it's unfortunately still night time, freezing cold, and I'm awake. That means either one of two things. One, a psycho/stalker/creep is on the prowl in my apartment, or two, Ranger's here. I really hoped it was Ranger, my one time lover, my constant mentor and protector and the man I am secretly in love with...well maybe to most it wasn't a secret, but I hadn't told anybody, so that classified it as a secret to me. And, if it was him, then I wouldn't have to leave my warm nest of a bed. A girl's gotta have her priorities.

I felt the familiar tingle shoot down my spine and sighed with relief. Batman was in the building. I rolled onto my back and searched him out, locating him lounging in his favourite chair.

"Hey Batman, visiting hours are between sun up and sun down," I grumbled as he chuckled and stood, moving to sit beside me on the bed. He leaned over and gave me a slow kiss hello.

"Babe," he murmured, removing his lips from mine, but doing little else to move away from me. My heart started thumping double time at his close proximity; my brain started to melt just a little.

"What can I do for you Ranger?" I wondered, focusing hard on getting the words in the right order. Batman was screwing with my equilibrium.

"I need a favor." I nodded. I would do anything for him. If he asked me to jump off a cliff, I'd do it without a second thought...well actually, my thoughts would probably revolve around wondering if he was planning on diving right on after me, saving my life in some way or another...

"Okay shoot," I squirmed a little under his heavy gaze before he shifted back, finally, to turn on my bedside lamp.

I blinked as the bright light flooded the room; my eyes took a few minutes to adjust.

"Sexy," Ranger smirked, tugging on one of my crazy curls that were probably shooting out in every direction.

"Hey man of mystery, you make house calls in the middle of the night and this is what you get! Zombie Steph!" I announced, folding my arms petulantly.

"Not Zombie Steph, Sexy Steph. And it's 9:30 pm Babe." Oh...I'd been asleep for half an hour. Guess it wasn't the middle of the night.

"So what's the favor you need?" I wondered, trying to divert my brain from thoughts of Ranger calling me sexy _twice_ and what that might mean, and what that might lead to in the future...hmmm future and Ranger; has a nice ring to it... if only.

"Babe you _are_ sexy," he smiled a little and kissed my lips softly, his body leaned over mine again. Automatically my heart rate did its thing again and a little more of my brain melted...I hoped it wasn't seeping out and making a mess on my pillows.

"Ranger, you came to me, you need the favor. Stop distracting us both and answer, please," I glared at him.

"Babe.I don't think your death ray is working. I'm standing right in it and I'm not dead yet," he smirked.

"Smart ass. Just tell me," I demanded, freaking out a little. If the Mighty Manoso was procrastinating over asking me a simple favor... then the favor probably wasn't so simple – but nothing ever was when it came to Ricardo Carlos Manoso.

"Relax Babe. I need to ask you a question." I breathed a little easier. A question, he just wanted to ask me a question. I could do that.

"Ok," I squeaked, giving the affirmative for him to go ahead and ask away.

"You and Morelli. What's the story?" I blinked, my jaw falling open. His fingers grazed my chin until my mouth shut. I had in no way expected that question to come out of his mouth. He knew the story. Hell, he was a key player in the story.

"What?" I asked, my mind racing. Why the hell did he want to know?

"What's the go with you and Morelli at the moment Babe?" Ranger repeated, slower. Did his eyes look tense? Was his jaw just a smidgen tighter than moments ago? Shit.

"I...uh...well he...you haven't heard?" I wished he had, I didn't want to tell him. Besides, he's Batman, he is supposed to know everything...right?

"Stephanie." Uh oh. He used my full name. Not good, abort Stephanie, abort, abort! His hand carefully griped my chin, his touch soft but firm; forcing me to look into his eyes...not that it was a hardship on my part...I loved his beautiful, dark, intelligent eyes. "Tell me Babe... please," My will power... _snort, like I have ANY will power_...crumbled easily as that one word left his lips, and I sighed in defeat.

"We broke up for good a month or so ago. He recently started dating a primary school teacher. They're already talking about marriage, kids, the works. We're still friends though, and I doubt that will change any time soon." Batman's shoulders eased down, a smile graced his lips, and even his eyes started smiling brightly. I didn't understand why he was so happy; I had lost my last chance at ever settling down...probably my last chance of actually having a permanent, stable man in my life, well, so my mother kept insisting anyway. Even my Grandma Mazur couldn't understand why I had pushed Joe away. Crap, now I was going to cry. I started blinking frantically; I think a half sob might have snuck out.

"Babe...Babe, shhhhh, what's wrong?" How the hell did I tell him I was upset because I was going to die alone, probably sooner rather than later, and that it hurt that Joe had moved on from me so fast? I was glad to be rid of him though, sure, Ranger had been right all along; we hadn't been doing each other any favors by sticking together. I loved Joe, but as a best friend or a brother...I hiccuped and took a deep breath, my tears easing.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong Ranger. I'm glad I broke up with Morelli, we had an unhealthy relationship." He gave me a smile, but I could tell he didn't buy my 'nothing' spiel.

"Anything else you need?" I inquired; already starting to nestle down in my bed, ready to go back to sleep and pretend this conversation didn't take place. Hell, _what_ conversation? This was just a dream...yeah, a dream. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, all I could smell is the scent of Ranger and Bulgari. Mmmmm, yummy...my two favorite scents.

"Babe!" Ranger sounded amused. I cracked open my eyes and looked up at him, raising my eyebrows. _What? I'm tired, I had a rough day and now I want to go to sleep and forget it ever happened._

"What happened Babe?" He asked while he pulled off his boots, socks and mega utility belt.

"Uh, Ranger...what are you doing?" My eyes widened as he shrugged his jacket off, pulled his shirt over his head and his hands moved to his pants.

"Do I have any clothes here Babe?" I nodded and pointed at my set of drawers. The first two held a lot of his clothes...even a pair of boxers. Don't ask me how they all accumulated there! I personally think they're multiplying like rabbits while I'm out during the day...WHOA! Ranger just stripped out of his cargos and slipped into the pair of boxers. Oh boy, was that a sizzling, hot damn picture for sore eyes. I could have certainly died a happy woman in that moment...well maybe after a Ranger induced orgasm or two...

He stalked back to the bed and slowly peeled the covers off of my body. Ranger's 1000 watt smile graced his face at what he saw, his eyes growing dark, his shorts fitting snugger, before he climbed in and hugged me close to his chest. He heaved a content sigh. I wondered if the world just stopped turning; was Batman allowed to sigh?

"Ranger?" I mumbled, my brain going fuzzy once again. His lips pressed to mine before trailing lightly down my neck, his nose brushed up and down against the column of my throat. I bit my tongue to stop myself from moaning. God, it had been way too long between orgasms.

"You're wearing my shirt and those panties with my name on them," Ranger growled possessively, proudly. I nodded helplessly. It's not like I could disagree with the man!

"They make me feel safe," I whispered truthfully. Damn, the words just slipped right out of my mouth. Ranger paused, his movements stilled. Great, now look what you've done Stephanie! _Please don't send me to a third world country, please, please, please. My hair will NOT cope in that kind of environment, say hello to afro Stephanie. _

"What happened today Babe?" He requested, his voice dropping down a notch, the huskiness of it sent a shiver down my spine, straight to my doo-dah. _Don't moan, don't whimper, don't sigh..._

"Same old, same old. Another day, another stalker," I shrugged, which was no easy feat with him wrapped around me.

"WHAT?" I flinched. Oops. His eyes flamed, his nostrils flared...and then he took a deep breath and returned immediately to calm Zen Ranger. Whoa, that was freaky...I needed to learn that trick. "Steph, why didn't you call me?" I shrugged again and lowered my eyes, unable to keep meeting his burning gaze.

"Like you need to bleed anymore money over me; you would have just put a man on me, or more than one. There's no need," I try to answer casually, with a light laugh. Ranger stayed quiet for a few minutes, my nerves were almost shot to hell.

"What happened today?" He asked, his tone slightly clipped. Ranger meant business; his voice and posture indicated he would get an answer out of me, one way or another. I decided to go with the easy option and just told him. Who knew what he'd try if I didn't?

"A couple of creepy notes, a few pot shots and then I almost got kidnapped," I summarized.

More deep breathing from Ranger.

"Almost?" His jaw was clenched as he spoke. Hmmm, too bad I had nowhere to run to when he had his arms trapped around me like this. I should plan my get away route better next time...oh boy, I'm already contemplating pissing Ranger off a _next time_? I must be going insane...too many shocks from stun guns.

"I shot one in the kneecap, stun gunned the other and then hand cuffed them together and high tailed it out of there," I replied thoughtfully, remembering my hell of a day.

"Your gun was loaded?" Wow, his voice didn't even contain a hint of the surprise I was certain he'd felt.

"My gun was loaded," I agreed, satisfied with my efforts to keep safe for the day. Loading my gun had really paid off today; a split second decision this morning had practically saved my life.

"Proud of you Babe, but please call me next time, when you start getting the creepy notes, not when you're being kidnapped." I nodded. Ranger's lips brushed my forehead softly before pressing against each eyebrow, then my nose and finally lightly against my lips.

"Are you hurt? Need the hospital?" I shook my head in the negative.

"I've already been and got a band aid," I teased. He didn't smile.

"Show me!" He demanded. Man, is Ranger in a weird mood tonight or what.

"I, uh...alright." I wiggled out of his grasp and laid face down on my stomach before shimming my shirt up. Ranger took it one step further and removed the shirt over my head with one tug. I was left, practically naked in front of the Cuban Sex God, in just my black panties.

"Your shoulder Babe?" He asked, tracing the gauze bandage with a gentle finger.

"I was stabbed in the back, literally," I giggled, but I didn't think Ranger found it as amusing as I did. I blamed the pain meds for the giggling.

Soon I felt him peeling the top off and lift the gauze.

"Babe, this needed more than a band aid," Ranger murmured. I relaxed as his lips connect with my skin, butterfly kisses were trailed around my row of stitches. "How many Babe?" I shivered as his fingers redressed my wound and he flipped me over, pulling my shirt back on me.

"Only twenty five stitches," I sighed as he leant over me, his hand splayed over my stomach as he kissed my lips again. Ranger pulled back, flipped off the light and dragged me across his chest. I tucked my head under his chin and smiled happily.

We fell silent and I was, again, steadily heading back into dream land.

"Babe, come to Australia with me," his words jolted me wide awake.

"Uh oh Ranger. Who the hell did you kill this time that you need to run off to a giant desert island?" I asked, panicked. Ranger started laughing. He fucking started laughing! He just asked me to jump on a plane and fly half way around the world and he starts _laughing?_ At least it would be warm there...

"No-one Babe. And it's not a giant desert island... it's a continent." I giggled at his dry humor, unable to help myself. Ranger humor was a rare treat.

"Ok, sure. But Ranger, why the hell do we need to go to Australia?" I demanded, stroking his chest softly, inadvertently. His smooth, gorgeous, ripped chest...

"Is that a yes?" I could hear the smile in his voice as his hand caught my fingers and brought them to his lips, treating each one to a slow, wet kiss. God I was a goner.

"Well, I mean, I wouldn't say..." I tried to dig myself out, without any luck.

"We're going to get a skip."

_TBC..._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This story is BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Summary: Steph, Ranger, Lula and Tank go to Australia to catch a skip...you'll have to read it to find out the rest :D**

**Romance/Comedy Rated PG15+ (for the moment) **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 1.

RPOV

It was five am. I had Stephanie in my arms, her purse balancing on her stomach as I carried her down to my Turbo. She was still fast asleep. I had tried waking her and had received a knee to the groin for my efforts. I changed tactics; I showered, dressed, and pulled some sweat pants and a jacket on Babe before scooping her up in my arms and manoeuvring her down the stairs.

Sliding her into the passenger's seat, I reclined the chair back half way and buckled her in, brushing my lips across hers. _Dios mio_, she tasted so fucking sweet, so delicious, so innocent, so damn right.

Ten minutes later, I pulled into the Rangeman garage, one slot from the elevator. Babe still hadn't stirred, although it was a lot earlier than her usual wake up time. My arms secured her tightly again as I made my way to the elevator and ascended straight to seven. I didn't want to play twenty questions with the men. It wasn't any of their business what Stephanie or I chose to do.

I settled Babe in my bed, tucking her under the covers. I watched her snuggle down and sigh, a little smile on her lips. Fuck, what I would give to come home to her every day.

I had come to her last night, a man of freedom. All but one of my contracts had been deemed fulfilled. It had taken me a long time to get out of the game, but I had finally managed it. The last contract remaining was easy as cake, as Steph would say.

Tank and I were required to go to Australia, with a team of our choosing, and pick up a low bond skip. Nothing was classified, it was all above board. Apparently some feds wished to _talk_ with the guy. I figured there had to be a catch, but I had yet to find one.

I figured, since it was low bond, I should take my Babe with me and try to convince her to give _us_ a chance. And then Tank wanted to bring Lula...and now there were four of us traveling across the world to pick up a $50,000 skip. Not that I couldn't afford it, and I would do anything for my Babe, including covertly giving her a well deserved holiday. She needed a break; in the years I had known her, she had yet to take a week off, unless she was injured.

"Ranger," she softly called, wriggling around before settling down again, back to her dream. I shed my jacket, toed off my boots, dropped my weapons and crawled in next to her.

Her body curled into mine as soon as my arm was around her waist. I lay quietly, stunned as she pressed her face into my neck. I would never be able to get over the amount of trust she placed in me. She didn't fear me, didn't hate me, and didn't resent me...hell she even cared about me... She was closer to me than practically any person on this earth, and I had yet to grow the balls to tell her how much she really meant to me; to tell her the whole truth. They say the future depends on what we do in the present. I definitely wanted Steph in my future, and I had wasted too much timing fucking around. I was going to make her mine, very soon.

I allowed my lips to touch her skin every so often, enjoying the softness of her skin.

My phone rang once a while later; I answered it on the first ring so as not to disturb my Babe. She grumbled slightly anyway before falling back to sleep.

"Report," I breathed quietly, sitting up, trying to pull away from the woman in my arms. She wasn't having it though; she was latched onto me with an iron grip. I settled back down and smoothed her curls absently.

"You ok boss? Bombshell ok?" Tank responded from the other end. I inhaled slowly.

"Who tattled?" I growled.

"Lester, who the hell else?" Tank laughed. I smiled and watched Babe breath steadily for a moment.

"Remind me to kick his ass when we return," I muttered.

"No problem Rangeman...we still on for that?" I frowned. Why the hell wouldn't we be? "It's nine fifteen am. We need to leave in a little over an hour if we – " I cut him off.

"Shit!" I cursed. We had a fucking plane to catch. I hung up and dropped my phone on the floor, hugging Steph to me for one more moment. I felt such peace and liberty with her safely tucked away in my arms.

I started trying to wake her up.

"Babe... Steph ... wake up _querida,_" I murmured before kissing her tenderly over and over. She gradually began to stir; soon enough her gorgeous blue eyes were blinking up at me, confused.

"It's just past nine am. My apartment. We have a flight," I announced, my lips brushing hers as I slid out of bed, dragging her with me.

I had carried her to the bathroom before she even found her tongue.

"Your ESP is getting kinda freaky," she grumbled, rubbing her eyes adorably.

"Babe. Shower. Dress. We leave in an hour," I ordered, kissing her forehead and nudging her into the bathroom. "Don't forget to cover your wound," I added, not wanting her cut to get infected.

"Sheesh, give a girl a minute to wake up," she groused shutting the door slowly as I grinned at her. I was waiting for her to catch up... "AN HOUR?" There we go. I smiled smugly as I collected the suitcase Ella packed for Babe and I last night and sat it in the entrance hall.

Knowing I had at least forty minutes, I grabbed a set of fresh business clothes and jogged down to the gym. I would grab a quick workout then hit the showers.

Thirty eight minutes, five miles later, I was back in my bedroom, watching a half dressed Steph running around. She was in nothing but her bra and panties. Thankfully, she had already tamed her curls and applied makeup.

Snagging her around the waist, I sat on the bed and pulled her into my lap, kicking and squirming.

"Babe. Calm down _querida_. You have plenty of time. The suitcase is packed. You don't have to worry about anything except getting dressed," I soothed. She huffed, sighed and folded her arms. I grinned.

"You already bought the tickets didn't you? Before you even asked me?" She demanded, sounding upset.

"Tank wanted to bring Lula, I wanted to bring you. Four people were going regardless Babe, I was just hoping you would say yes," I placated. She turned and wrapped herself around me.

"Armani Ranger. I love this suit," she sighed, playing with the open collar of my dress shirt.

"I know you do Babe. Let's get you dressed," I set her on her feet, keeping an arm around her as I directed us to the wardrobe.

"Wear this Babe." I pulled a pair of black tailored pants and a soft flowy white top. She slid into them and turned this way and that.

"These fit perfectly!" She was patting her butt... her perky little butt that looked amazing in those pants. I drew a pair of heeled black boots out for her and watched her bend at the waist to pull them on... God she is gorgeous.

I grabbed a black jacket for her from the wardrobe and placed my hand on her neck.

"Let's go Babe."

SPOV

"_In case of an emergency event..."_ My mind filled with a low static buzz, my skin felt clammy, my mouth was parched. All I could hear was a jumble of words that didn't make any sense. _C'mon Steph get it together, courage woman._

"You ok Babe?" The man to my right whispered, his warm breath tickling my neck. But not even Ranger could distract me from this hell.

_Oh God, oh God, oh God!_

I squeezed my eyes shut as the plane lifted off the tarmac, off solid ground, away from civilization and into the atmosphere. The feeling itself was amazing... the thoughts behind why I could feel like that, not so much.

"Babe. Breathe. I'm right here," Ranger's voice floated back into my mind.

"Damn white gurl, you lookin' whiter than usual! You'd think with your dream of flying and being Wonder Woman an shit you'd actually like flying!" Lula's voice also entered and swept through my muddled mind. I groaned.

Suddenly I felt my seat belt released and I _really_ started freaking out.

"RANGER! I don't want to get sucked out of the airplane or thrown through the roof 'cause of turbulence! FIX MY SEAT BELT!" I cried hysterically, holding the arms of my seat in a death grip, my eyes still shut tight, tears falling on my cheeks. Ranger's hands were soon on my fingers, removing them from the upholstery. "What are you doing? Stop it! Ranger don't!" I shrieked. Swiftly I found two warm arms wrapped around me and I was cradled into a familiar chest.

"Steph, calm down _querida_. Hush. You're ok. Shhhhh Babe, shhhhh." His arms rocked me gently and I barely heard his words whisper through his lips pressed at my ear. I sobbed and pulled myself firmly against him.

"Ranger," I whimpered. His hands soothed me, running up and down my back.

"Babe, why did you agree to come with me if you're so terrified of flying?" He asked as I finally started to settle.

"This is my first time... everyone freaks out their first time right?" I wondered, opening my swollen, puffy eyes to gaze up at him. He looked worried.

"You've never flown before?" I shook my head and buried my face in his neck after I caught a glimpse out of the tiny window. We were so freaking far off the ground! Why the hell did we need to be this high?

"Babe." His lips rested against my hair as he shifted me a little so I was pressed tighter to him.

"Ranger?" I whispered, anxious again, but for a different reason now.

"Yeah Babe." His hand lifted and ran through my curls before stroking my cheek smoothly.

"I don't...I mean...I haven't got a passport, how the hell did they let me on a plane with no passport?" I whisper-shouted. He chuckled. I didn't see what was so funny. I mean, all he had to do was flash some kind of badge and show some guy some paperwork and we were all bypassing security and heading straight onto the plane before all the other passengers. No pat downs, no scans, no tests, nothing, nada, zip. If I ever traveled again I was taking Ranger with me.

"I have your passport Babe, don't worry." Of course he had my passport, why didn't I think of that? _Eye roll_.

"And how did you acquire me a passport on such short notice?" He cleared his throat.

"I've, uh, had one for a while." I slowly processed this information. He'd had a passport for me for a while. _Why? _"In case I needed you, in case you needed it" He answered my unspoken question...I thought about that for a while too. All I could say was he was damn lucky I was so scared or I would have gone ape shit on his overbearing ass. But hey, if you don't ask, you don't get. I had asked, and had for once, gotten a relatively straight answer out of him. Maybe things were looking up.

We were in first class, of course. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, we were the only four people in the luxurious section of the plane. Tank, Lula, Ranger and I were on a nonstop flight to Sydney, Australia. We had a couple days there before we were flying up to a small city in the outback...somewhere. Apparently our skip had chosen a remote getaway.

I relaxed even further into Ranger's arms, I could hear his voice, felt it rumble in his chest as he spoke to someone, but I was too exhausted to make out his words. Apparently working yourself into a frenzied panic takes a lot of effort.

I jostled awake as I felt my seat move.

"Easy Babe. Just me." I exhaled heavily, noticing the lights were off in the cabin, and the sun had set outside. I was still perched in Ranger's lap, his chair was now reclined back though and we were both vertical; I was curled tight against his left side. I must have been asleep for a while.

"Do you want me to get up? God you must be uncomfortable," I started to sit up, about to crawl into my own seat when I was trapped by his arms.

"No Babe. Stay, you're fine." I opened my mouth to protest and found his lips silencing mine, his tongue stroking my lips before pushing through to duel with my own. I moaned low in my throat. "Hmmm don't think you're quite ready to join the mile high club yet Steph" He murmured smiling at me softly. I smiled sheepishly.

"If I am to change this image. I must first change myself. I knew I should have put on something sexier for this plane ride. Damn!" I joked, laughing as I snapped my fingers and sighed.

"Trust me Babe. You're plenty sexy...too sexy for your own good," Ranger's eyes twinkled as his arms tightened around me.

"Would you guys cut the pillow talk, I'm tryin' to sleep!" Lula growled, rolling over, pulling a blanket over her head. Both Ranger and I chuckled. All we could see was her hair.

"Are you ok now Babe?" I nodded and snuggled into him with a yawn.

"Thank you," I breathed.

"You're welcome _querida._" I didn't know what the word meant, but I loved the new nickname. It rolled off his tongue with his Spanish accent deliciously; it was intimate, soft..._loving_.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift back to sleep. My dreams were actually hopeful of a _someday_ with Ranger.

_TBC..._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This story is BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Summary: Steph, Ranger, Lula and Tank go to Australia to catch a skip...you'll have to read it to find out the rest :D**

**Romance/Comedy Rated PG15+ (for the moment) **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 2.

SPOV

Many, many hours... _too_ many hours later, we finally touched down in Sydney. I didn't even notice the landing, considering I was straddled across Ranger's lap and his tongue was duelling with mine. I was fairly certain that the flight hostess had had an aneurysm when Ranger refused to let me return to my seat for landing. But I had never seen anyone argue with Ranger (besides me), and the woman hadn't broken the trend as of yet, thankfully. I wasn't sure I wanted to see what occurred the day that happened.

"Time to go, Babe." Ranger stood, effectively standing me up too. He grabbed my purse and his carry on duffle, which I hadn't even noticed before now.

We followed the pilots off the plane and were met by a security guard who rushed us through customs. I blinked and suddenly we were grabbing our suitcases and walking outside. I instantly noticed the dry heat. The moment we approached the curb, a sleek black limousine pulled up in front of us. Whoa.

"Ranger?" I wondered as I dug my feet into the concrete, watching Lula and Tank jump inside.

"In you go, Babe." I found myself lifted off my feet and slid into the car. Ranger soon followed, sitting close to me and drawing me into his side. I closed my eyes and pinched my arm to make sure this was really happening. Yep, when I opened my eyes again, Tank was still in an expensive suit and Lula was still in a skirt and blouse that were on the opposite spectrum of spandex and glitter. They were still sitting across from Ranger and I, in a limo, in Australia. For once in my life I had absolutely nothing to say... I settled for slugging Ranger in the arm. He chuckled, probably didn't even feel it.

Twenty minutes in, and my eyes were glued to the window, taking in the sites that Sydney had to offer. It was a pretty city, and today was a beautiful day, blue skies all around. Ranger's arm kept me secured against his side, his face close to mine as he pointed out prominent landmarks, Hyde Park, the Harbor Bridge and the Opera house.

"Where are we going?" I murmured quietly, giving up my excitement of seeing a new city to gaze at Ranger. He smiled and his lips softly brushed mine before pressing against my cheek. It seemed like such an intimate caress, especially in front of Tank and Lula, whose eyes were practically boring a hole in the side of my head. Ranger's affection had seemed so much less, _affectionate_ on the plane, Tank and Lula had been sitting a few seats across and in front of us...we had had our privacy, and Ranger usually wasn't big on PDA's. He was acting so different... dare I say _human._

"Babe. I am human." I flushed, embarrassed, until he kissed me again, his lips curving in a smile.

"Ranger, stop distracting me!" I whined into his chest.

"We're going to our hotel," he announced with his thousand watt smile. Oh boy "You're gonna like it." That statement made me worry even more.

"Why? What did you do Ranger? What kind of hotel? I don't have enough money for an expensive hotel... I don't have enough money for _any_ kind of hotel!" I panicked.

"Steph!" Ranger barked. My brain froze, I froze...pretty sure Tank and Lula froze too.

"Yeah?" I inquired nervously.

"This is a business trip; all of your, _our_, expenses are paid for. You don't have to worry about anything," he frowned at me, his fingers under my chin, our eyes locked.

"But – " I protested.

"Girl! Did you not just hear what the man said, he gonna shout us a vacation. You'd be fool crazy to knock that down! Don't argue with Batman!" I blinked. Ranger's lips twitched.

"Thank you Lula. Babe?" Ranger raised his eyebrow, drawing a sigh from my lips.

"Fine. Do whatever you want," I huffed.

"Thanks Babe, I will. We're almost there." His lips pressed randomly against my neck, causing shivers to run down my spine as we continued to travel through the city streets.

The limo pulled to a stop in front of luxurious, expensive looking, historic hotel. I was gobsmacked as I gazed at the building. We could not be staying here...

A Doorman opened the car door and I watched Tank slide out before assisting Lula. Ranger smiled at me and climbed out gracefully, looking the part of a rich business man. His hand reached back inside and grasped mine, helping me out and tucking me into his side as we approached the building. At least I knew why Ranger had instructed me to dress the way I had... this place was incredible... I felt like I _really_ didn't belong.

"Ranger," I whispered, glancing around as we entered the lobby and made our way to reception.

"Steph," he whispered back, a smile curving his lips slightly.

"Welcome to The Westin Sydney," A man at the marble desk, dressed in an impeccable suit, greeted Tank.

"Reservation under Harwell, Pierre." I blinked. Who the hell was that? Oh, right, that's Tank.

"Yes sir, you've reserved the Heritage long Suite. We hope you enjoy your stay. Thank you for choosing the Westin." Tank signed a slip, filled in a card, collected his two swipe cards, and led Lula and a bellboy off towards the elevators.

"Meet for dinner at six?" He called back to Ranger.

"Make it seven," Ranger smirked, giving me a heated glance. Hot flush! My panties suddenly felt damp.

Hang on a minute; this is supposed to be a business trip, why the hell was Tank paying for his own room? Just as I was about to open my mouth and grill Ranger, we stepped forward and were greeted by the... concierge?

"Ricardo Carlos Manoso," Ranger stated, looking smug. I snapped my mouth shut and rolled my eyes.

"Mr Manoso. Such a pleasure to have you staying with us again! The Presidential Suite is ready and waiting, as per your specifications. Don't hesitate to ring down if you need anything. If you'll just sign here sir, thank you. Thane will take your luggage up to the room. Here are your key cards. Enjoy your stay; we look forward to seeing you again Mr Manoso!" My jaw was hanging open and had dropped through the floor. I don't think I'd ever seen anyone _gush_ over Ranger before. I felt like I was having an out of body experience. Ranger kissed my lips tenderly and turned us so we were heading down a hall to a different set of elevators than the ones Tank and Lula had disappeared into.

Once Ranger inserted the key card into a slot in the elevator panel, we ascended the thirty odd floors, _to the very top_, my back to Ranger's front, with Thane standing to the side with our large suitcase. Thane unlocked our door and carried our suitcase into the enormous suite. I watched Ranger tip the man a whole hell of a lot of money and he was soon gone. Then it was just me and Ranger, all alone, in a beautiful, expensive, _exclusive_ hotel suite...

"I'll give you the tour Babe." His hand in mine, he led us further inside. I gasped and stood stock still.

"No way, Ranger!" I shrieked, one of my hands over my mouth. The entire wall in front of us wall floor to ceiling glass, providing a spectacular view of the city skyline.

"You like it Babe?" He wondered, pulling me into his arms before walking forward.

"Its...I...ugh...wow...Oh my God...I mean," I stuttered, taking in the rest of the suite. We were standing in a large living room. Glancing to my left, I could just see the large King bed down the hall and through the bedroom doorway. Behind us was a kitchen and bathroom. I slid from Ranger's arms and walked right up to the glass. "Wow," I breathed faintly. It was early afternoon; the sun was high in the sky and was glistening off buildings.

"Babe," Another light kiss and Ranger was leading me from the kitchen, to the study, to the bedroom, which had a huge en-suite bathroom. God, does Ranger know about the finer things in life... two walls of the bedroom were all glass as well, offering an even more spectacular view.

"This is too much," I sighed, shaking my head. "This must cost a small fortune a night. How long are we staying here?" I demanded.

Ranger's eyes darkened as he stalked towards me, dropping his suit jacket on the bed. I drifted backwards until my back was pressed against the cool glass.

"This is not too much. You deserve the world Babe, and I'm going to give it to you. No price Babe. It doesn't matter how much it costs. I've stayed here before and enjoyed it. I like it. I thought you would enjoy it too. We have two nights here before we fly to the middle of nowhere. I thought I would treat you before dragging you out to the desert Stephanie. Please don't worry about anything _querida_, just relax and unwind." His hands rested on my shoulders, drifting slowly up to rest on my neck.

We stood in silence, his eyes gazing down at me, flickering occasionally to my lips. One of his hands slid higher and sunk into my hair at the nape of my neck, ever so gently tugging me forward as he leaned down. My eyes fluttered shut as his mouth brushed mine with a slow, unhurried kiss; so different to our usual quick, heated, intense kisses.

"Ok Babe?" I murmured a quiet yes, answering both his verbal and non verbal questions. I tilted my head until our lips touched again.

My heart rate increased as Ranger gently started nibbling on my lips. Our breaths mingled as he pulled back slightly, his eyes boring into mine before he was kissing me again. His tongue outlined my lips and I parted them slightly, allowing his tongue to enter my mouth and sensually caress mine. A low, husky moan rumbled from my throat.

One of Ranger's hands glided behind me, down to my lower back where he pressed me firmly against him. This was heaven. Ranger was the best kisser I had ever encountered.

He ever so slowly drew back, his lips lingering on mine. With a final kiss, he took a step away from me, his hands still resting on my body.

"Babe," he paused to clear his throat, his voice deep and rough. "Steph, _querida,_" His eyes traced my face. "I want you. I want you to be mine. But I don't want to pressure you. I want you, but for so much more. Not just one night, or a series of one nights. Forever, permanently. Babe, say yes," he pleaded. To say I was gobsmacked at this sudden admission was an understatement, but I didn't care where the hell it had come from I was just so relieved to hear the words.

"Yes!" My eyes filled with tears, happiness flooded my body... was this really _real_? Aw hell, who cared if it was real or not!

"God, yes!" His arms swept me up and spun me around, before he set me down again. "Thank you, thank you," he murmured over and over, kissing me silly each time. "We're taking it slow though Babe. I don't want to rush this, _us_." I gaped. The most sexual man alive wanted to take it... _slow?_ "Think about it Babe. Last time I fucked up bad. I don't want to do that again. I will not hurt you again." I was even more stunned now than I was a moment ago.

"That's so sweet. Thank you. No sex, _at all_?" I clarified, my hormones already screaming in protest.

"For a short period. What time frame is normal, what would make you comfortable? How long?" He raised his eyebrow at me. He was asking _me_? _Normal_? _Us_?

"I um... three dates? Five dates? I don't know Ranger..." I shrugged and watched him. His eyes were smiling.

"Five dates it is Babe. But we'll play it by ear, ok?" I nodded and closed the small gap between us.

"I still get to kiss you right?" I asked, staring at his lips.

"Babe." Suddenly, his lips were tasting mine again.

"There's only one bed," I announced around his hungry lips.

"We're sharing," he growled, effectively ending the conversation as he tossed me backwards.

RxS~RxS-RxS~RxS-RxS~RxS-RxS~RxS

"Babe. Wake up, _querida._" I grumbled and tried to bury myself deeper, but the bed was feeling kind of solid... and warm. Grumbling again, I opened my eyes to investigate... and found myself topless, lying on top of a half naked Ranger. I squeaked and sat up quickly, crossing my arms over my chest. Of course this relocated me to straddling Ranger's groin, and finding there was very little material between us. Glancing down, I realized all I _was_ wearing was my panties. And all he was wearing was his boxers. Huh. Last thing I remember was Ranger throwing me on the bed and showering me with kisses...

"Explain," I ordered, frowning at him. Ranger's arms reached up and tugged mine from my chest. I felt the warmth of his eyes as they slowly caressed my body, then he was pulling me down so I was lying back on top of him. "Ran-_ger,_" I mumbled, shifting slightly so I could tuck my face in his neck.

"Stop wiggling Babe," he grunted, his hand resting low on my back, holding me still, as his thumb gently brushed across my skin. I settled down and waited for the man of mystery to speak. Five minutes later and I was back to squirming. "_Querida,_" he warned. "You just fell asleep, and you looked very uncomfortable in your suit, and I know you don't like to nap in your bra. I made you comfortable. But we need to get up now, it's six, and were meeting Tank and Lula at seven." I sighed and crawled out of bed, and straight into the shower. Fifty minutes later, I was slipping on my heels and re-touching my lips.

"Alright, I'm re-ady," I stuttered as I glanced up and watched Ranger's eyes darken to obsidian. He motioned for me to turn around; I did slowly. "Is this dress ok?" I wondered. It was a sexy, elegant knee length purple cocktail dress that had a deep v neckline and a v-shaped back. Ranger refused to tell me where we were heading for dinner, but I hoped this was appropriate.

"You look gorgeous," he declared after a moment. "Come here." I walked towards him and found myself quickly encased in his arms. "Any man who looks at you is dead," Ranger vowed.

"Let's go meet our friends!" I laughed.

_TBC..._


	4. Chapter 4

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 3

RPOV

I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was stunning. The material of her dress hugged and caressed her soft, delicate, feminine curves. Her body was calling to mine and I wanted nothing more than to throw her over my shoulder and take her back upstairs and make her mine. Too damn bad I'd already promised her a five date waiting period. That had to be the dumbest shit I'd ever come up with... But it was the right decision, I wouldn't hurt her again.

"Ranger... where are we supposed to be meeting them?" She questioned. I smirked, Babe still wasn't aware of her surroundings; I didn't know how anyone could miss Tank and Lula in a crowd.

"ETA thirty seconds," I whispered, turning her head a little to the right so our friends were in her direct vision.

"Oh. _Way to be aware Stephanie." _I chuckled, my Babe never ceased to amuse.

"Tank, Lula," I greeted, pulling Steph in closer now that we had stopped. One of my hands was possessively perched on her lower back, the other rested on her hip, holding her body against mine.

"Are we eating in or out Ric?" Tank asked. I smiled slightly. I had made reservations hours ago, while Babe slept.

"Out, it's not too far from here. We'll take the limo." I had already rung our driver while Steph had finished in the bathroom.

Leading my woman, _my woman,_ outside and helping her into the car, we were off as soon as Tank and Lula were settled.

"Babe, this is date number one," I murmured in her ear, my breath ticking the curls at her neck. Her eyes were glazed as she smiled at me and pressed her lips quickly to mine. God she's adorable.

We arrived at the restaurant and were promptly seated, our table overlooking the Sydney Opera house.

"Oh my God Ranger! This is so beautiful. Absolutely stunning," Steph whispered, her eyes wide. I brushed my lips against the corner of her mouth and quickly ordered some wine and two entree meals to share between the four of us.

Dinner was enjoyable, more than enjoyable. Good company, good food and a good atmosphere.

Dessert, now that was a combination of pure pleasure and pain. Babe moaned through her entire chocolate soufflé, her eyes never leaving the plate and then decided to snack on my lemon sorbet.

Snagging Steph's spoon, I brought a mouthful of sorbet and wrapped my lips around it, sucking it into my mouth slowly. Babe moaned again, this time, her eyes were on _me. _

Tank was openly laughing at us.

I swooped in and caught Steph's mouth with my lips, drawing her half out of her chair, while I ravaged her mouth. The waiter cleared his throat and I pulled back from Babe, her face flushed, her lips swollen. _Dios mio_ we needed to get some fresh air, or I was going to break my promise.

After dinner, we all took a quiet, relaxing stroll before climbing in the limo and heading back to our hotel.

Now only if I could take my woman upstairs and claim her like I wanted.

I had no fucking idea how I was going to last five dates.

**SPOV**

It was very bright when I woke. The sun was pouring in through the glass walls; the whole room was illuminated by the early morning sunshine.

"Ranger, go shut the blinds. It's too early," I begged, tucking my face into the pillow. A warm hand slowly caressed my skin and soft lips soon followed.

I felt his fingers probing my stab wound and then he was sitting up beside me, rolling me onto my back. I realized then that I was, again, almost naked except for my panties.

"I like you naked," he offered as an explanation. His lips were half curved in a smirk. "How's your shoulder Babe? Tender?" I blinked, his mood shifted from playful to serious at the drop of the hat. I was amazed I didn't have whiplash.

"I – it's okay. It does ache a little, but I've been taking some meds when it gets too bad," I answered. He nodded.

"Good, we've got a busy day today Babe. I want you to tell me if it gets too much, alright?" Ranger insisted.

I agreed with a quick kiss to his sexy lips.

"Go shower _querida._" He rolled out of bed and padded to the kitchen in his silk boxers that were slung low across his hips. Hot damn, the man was sex on a stick. Why the hell did I agree to no sex?

Reluctantly, I crawled out of my warm nest and climbed into the luxurious shower. It was heaven. I found one of Ranger's shirts, pulled it over my head and followed the delicious smells of coffee.

"So what are we doing today?" I asked, sliding onto a seat at the breakfast bar. Ranger placed a cup of steaming coffee, sugar and cream in front of me.

"Having fun." I blinked as he sat down next to me and sipped on what looked like herbal tea.

"You know how to have fun?"I teased lightly.

"Babe."

"Ok, so what are we doing, where are we going, what are we seeing?" I questioned excitedly.

"Wear one of the summer dresses Ella packed you, no heels, and pack a swimsuit," he answered cryptically.

"Ranger," I sighed, frowning.

"You'll enjoy yourself today Babe, promise." His lips pressed to my cheek gently. Settling my coffee cup down, I snagged his jaw in my hand and gave him a proper kiss good morning. Unfortunately, we were interrupted by his cell phone ringing. I pouted as he pulled away from me and snagged the evil device off the counter.

_"Yo. Is that so? No, I'll handle it. Keep me updated." _He hung up quickly. I raised my eyebrows. 

"What is it with you and phones?" I was curious; he always tried to keep conversations as short as possible.

"It's a habit Babe. Less time you're on the phone, less chance someone has of tracking you." True, very true.

"So how long do I have to get ready?" I wondered as I finished the last of my coffee. Glancing around the kitchen I didn't spot any breakfast. As if on cue, my stomach rumbled.

"Take as long as you need. We're heading down to breakfast first, don't worry, I won't forget to feed you." I smiled and stood up... then froze. SHIT!

"REX! Ranger, I didn't leave Rex with anyone, he'll starve! Oh my God. I didn't even feed him yesterday!" I wailed, sucking in a deep breath. How could I be such a bad hamster mommy?

"Babe... BABE!" Ranger's hands settled on my shoulders and he gently shook me. My eyes focused on his face. "Ella has Rex, Steph, he's fine. He won't starve, the rat will be fine." I sagged with relief. He may not be much of a guard hamster, but I loved the little guy.

"Thank you," I kissed him gratefully and stepped away. "But he's not a rat. I'm gonna dress, I'm starved!" He chuckled at me and slapped my butt as I retreated quickly to the bedroom.

After meeting up with Lula and Tank at breakfast, we spent the day touring the city, sightseeing and having fun. Lunch was sublime and peaceful. We had a short afternoon nap and finished up the day with a late dinner in the in-hotel restaurant. The day, by far, had been one of the most enjoyable and relaxing I had ever experienced. We had done a walking tour of the city, visited the Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Hyde Park, Chinatown, Darling Harbor and then spent an hour or so at the beach. I couldn't get over how much we had packed into one day.

It was on our way back to the hotel room after dinner that Ranger informed me at what hour we were departing in the morning.

"SIX AM? Ranger!" I shrieked in disbelief. How could he be so cruel?

"Babe, you can sleep on the plane. I had to rearrange our flight. All our cargo wouldn't fit in the cargo bay of the initial plane," he murmured softly, kissing my curls while holding me close.

"What do you mean _all our cargo_?" I wondered anxiously.

"You'll find out soon enough, _querida,_" Ranger promised. I groaned and leaned against him as he opened our suite door.

"I don't know if I want to," I grumbled as he tugged me inside.

Ranger led me straight to the bedroom, where he sat me on the bed.

"Lay back and relax Babe," I blinked as he tugged off my heels and pulled my dress up and over my head. He growled quietly as his eyes roved over my red lace clad body. "Sexy," he muttered, quickly reaching out to release the front clasp of my bra and then removing it. "Breathtaking," he admitted, crawling up my body until I was laying flat on my back. "Now don't move," Ranger whispered, a twinkle in his eye as he jumped to his feet and started stalking around the bedroom. I watched him for a little while, confused.

"What are you doing?" I finally asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

He pointed to two neat stacks of clothes, one for me, one for him.

"These for our plane ride tomorrow." He then pointed at a pile of clothes that he had heaped unceremoniously on the floor. "Clothes we're discarding." I gasped but he continued pointing to the now half empty suitcase. "Things we're taking with us tomorrow." I spluttered and stammered as he stood grinning at me. "Cat got your tongue Babe?" He smirked. I shivered as his eyes swept down my body slowly before returning to my face.

"N-no, I just ... how can you throw away all those clothes? They're beautiful, it's sacrilege!" I argued.

"Babe, you won't need five pairs of heel where we're going. Hell, I doubt you even need one pair, but I didn't want to upset you. The clothes I've discarded are ones that will be of no use to us anymore, why should we keep them, they serve no purpose," he frowned, hands on hips. I rolled my eyes.

"Because they cost money, that's why," I explained. Ranger zipped the suitcase closed, stripped off his clothes, tossing them into the discard pile and turned off the bedroom light.

The lights from the city illuminated the dark room, and I watched Ranger's silhouette approach me. His weight dipped the bed and I soon felt his arms wrap low around my waist and pull me against his side.

"Babe, I have plenty of money and I intend to spend it all on you, as I've already told you. I will buy you all the clothes you need, want or desire. I know you like your independence, that you need it, but I don't want you to have to worry about anything anymore. No price. Can we compromise on that Babe?" I released the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

"You know me so well," I murmured, tracing my fingers along his jaw.

"You're mine, of course I know you, Babe." He dipped his head and pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

"I don't know you well at all," I whispered sadly.

"You do Babe, you know me better than almost anyone. I want to open up more, but I can't promise you anything more than that I will try. Because you're worth it Steph, you're worth everything to me," Ranger uttered smoothly.

"Ranger," I crooned, my voice thick with emotion.

"Babe, Steph, _querida_. How would you feel about calling me something other than Ranger? It's a street name, an army name, a name that instils fear in others, not a name that my woman and lover whispers in the throes of passion or in an intimate moment." I sat silently for a few moments, digesting his words. He'd always been Ranger to me, that's who he was, even on our one night together. But then again, almost everyone else referred to him as Ranger. It _would_ be nice to call him something a little more... personal.

"What would you suggest?" I questioned, staring at his eyes. My own eyes had finally adjusted and I could make out his features perfectly.

"No Babe, your choice. It's what you want to call me... whatever you want." His eyes assessed my face, smiling, his hands gently stroked my skin.

Despite all these distractions, I set my brain to work, trying out names for him. I didn't think a pet nickname would suit, somehow Studmuffin or Big Daddy just didn't sit right, besides I had _Batman_ already.

I could call him Ricardo, but that seemed too formal. Carlos? Maybe Rico? Ric? Ricky? Carlitos? I tried out each one mentally; they were all versions of his name. I _had_ heard Tank call Ranger Ric before though, so that one was out for in the bedroom, maybe for around the guys... and Ricky didn't seem to fit.

"Okay. I've narrowed it down to a few, but if you don't like any of them then it's ok, I mean, I'll just keep trying out different ones until – " My ramblings were cut off with a rough kiss.

"Just tell me _querida,_" Ranger prompted, his hot breath caressing my skin. I groaned.

"Rico, Carlos or Carlitos," I voiced timidly. "I think I like Carlos better," I mumbled, gingerly glancing up at his face, both eager and nervous to hear his thoughts. He lay quietly, continuing to massage my body. "But around the guys and others, I can call you Ric if you want," I added. The longer he remained silent, the more nervous I got... although it had probably only been a minute or less.

"Babe, say it again?" He begged finally, his voice gravelly.

"Carlos?" I wondered. He groaned in response and his lips attacked mine enthusiastically.

"Perfect _querida_. I love it," Ranger announced in between peppering my face, neck and shoulders with kisses.

"_Carlos_," I moaned happily as his kisses dropped lower and suddenly he was pressing his burning mouth to the crests of my breasts. But, as soon as it had begun, it was over. I whimpered at the loss.

"I promised you we would wait, and we will. Let's get some sleep Babe." He pulled me half across his chest, my thigh against his hot, hard erection, my breasts firmly against his skin and my face on his shoulder. He had me so hot and bothered; it was nothing short of torture.

"How can I sleep now?" I complained, wiggling slightly. Rang – I mean – _Carlos_ simply chuckled.

"I love holding you _querida,"_ he confided into my hair. "Now close your eyes and go to sleep, we have an early start," His voice softened to just louder than a whisper and I felt my eyes flutter shut as his lips lightly traced along my cheek.

_TBC..._


	5. Chapter 5

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 4

SPOV

I knew it was an ungodly hour when I felt the bed move, heard rustlings and then the shower turn on. Groaning I rolled over and shoved my head under a pillow and wrapped myself tightly in the blanket. Promptly I fell back asleep.

"Babe, wake up gorgeous, time to shower and dress." I slipped my hand out from underneath the covers and flipped Rang-_Carlos_ the bird.

I might have also told him to go shove that idea where the sun don't shine, but I was half asleep, so who knows.

"You have five seconds Steph." I grunted and returned my hand to my warm cocoon. "Five, four, three, two...one. Time's up!" Suddenly I was air born and then found myself thrown over a bare-mocha latte shoulder.

"Carlos!" I whined, kicking and squirming against him; he was on a set path to the shower.

"Babe, I warned you." And then I was flung into the shower, under the cold stream of water. I started screaming at the top of my lungs. Within seconds, I was out from under the spray and pressed up against a warm chest; a chest that usually I would turn to for comfort. But at this moment in time I was fuming. Pounding my fists against him, I let rip a torrent of verbal abuse until I wore myself out.

"That was cruel!" I hissed quietly, sinking against Carlos finally and shivering slightly.

"You done now, Babe?" He demanded harshly. I recoiled from him quickly and flashed my furious eyes to his face. Batman did not look amused.

"No, but I'm done talking to you. Get out!" I commanded angrily.

"No," he spat.

I gulped as his eyes glittered with fury and he took a step towards me. Stumbling, I retreated backwards. My back soon found the glass wall of the shower; I was trapped.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum," Carlos started. Shit, I _did not_ like where this was going. "First off, the only time I want to hear you scream when alone in my presence is when I'm making love to you or you are in danger. I am not a danger to your person, I will not hurt you, and I do not want you screaming like that," he paused, inhaling a sharp breath, his eyes boring into mine. "Secondly, it is not ok for you to speak to me like that. I am you partner, your equal, and I deserve respect, just as you do. I will not tolerate behaviour like that from you again; you will be punished next time it occurs." Another pause. His body had slowly moved against mine, molding us together. _Punishment? _"Thirdly, you aren't running from _us_. We will work out confrontations, then and there, not dance around them and pretend they didn't occur. Are we understood?" His lips were a hair's width from mine and pressed firmly against my mouth as he finished his little tirade.

I should have been upset, I should have been furious at him; I should have blown up at him and let loose my fury. He was acting like a condescending asshole and deserved that and a hell of a lot more. But this time, I read between the lines, between his words and linked his actions with what he wasn't exactly saying.

I had _frightened_ him, _scared_ him, and _hurt _him with _my_ actions and words. I took a deep breath, and did something I had never done in a conflict before...

"I'm sorry, Carlos," I whispered raggedly, blinking back tears. This was our first fight. I turned my face away from his, so his lips were now resting against my cheek.

Silence reigned supreme, except for the splashing of water from the running shower.

"_Querida,_" Carlos' hands ran up and over my shoulders to gently lie on my neck. I bit my lip, stopping a sob escaping my mouth. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have raised my voice at you, I shouldn't have said those things. I'm sorry Babe, Steph, please ..." He sounded like he had more to say; I remained quiet, although I was shocked _he_ was apologizing to me. I had acted like a spoilt brat. "That scream, that's what my nightmares are made of Babe, someone torturing you, hurting you. It terrified me, and you've never spoken to me like that before. I thought that with one action I had already ruined our relationship and then you told me to get out. Do you understand _querida_, why I said those things?" I nodded slowly and felt his lips press hesitantly against my skin.

"I shouldn't have reacted that way, and I do understand," I replied faintly. One of his hands crept upwards to cup my cheek and turn my head to face him. His eyes that had been turbulent with angry emotions moments ago were now affectionate and kind.

Our lips softly fused together in a tenderhearted kiss.

"Shower and dress _querida_. I'll make you coffee and breakfast, and then we'll meet Tank and Lula downstairs. Okay?" I wrapped my arms around him and held onto him for a moment in a tight hug.

"Our first fight," I mumbled sadly. Carlos squeezed me firmly and drew me even closer; if that was possible.

"Steph, we're going to have fights; it's inevitable that we won't always agree on everything. We just have to know how to come back to this, to forgive, to apologize, to compromise. You know things won't always be easy, but we stick together and we pull though." His pep talk made me smile and I kissed his jaw and finished with a slight nip. Carlos pulled back and raised an eyebrow while I beamed up at him.

"Go make me breakfast Batman! This girl needs to eat!" He smirked and tapped my nose, shaking his head as he withdrew out of the bathroom, leaving me to get ready in a flurry.

RxS~RxS-RxS~RxS-RxS~RxS-RxS~RxS

_Oh God_. This was worse than last time. The sun had barely risen above the horizon and we were in a tiny twelve seater plane, our luggage was stowed away under the wings, in the nose and in the back area of the tiny aircraft.

_We were going to die. _

"_Querida,_ were not going to die," Carlos spoke as his hand squeezed mine.

Take off was rough, turbulent and loud, until finally we were horizontal in the air. It was still loud in the small space of the cabin, but not as bad as before. I once again found myself in Carlos' lap, holding on for dear life and falling asleep.

"Babe, you need to get back in your seat, we're landing and it could get rough." I blinked the sleep away from my eyes, kissed Carlos on the mouth lightly and crawled back into my seat, fastening my seat belt tightly.

I started to really panic when I couldn't see an airport of any kind, anywhere. In fact I couldn't see much of anything. There was a small, three street town and numerous acreage properties spread out for miles, houses dotting the landscape every now and then, but nothing that resembled a run way... unless, NO!

"Carlos! Tell me we're not landing this piece of tin on that dirt track!" I pleaded, my heart pounding, my eyes glued to the window, like watching a train wreck.

"Relax Babe. Everything is fine. This is standard procedure." Standard procedure my ass! It couldn't possibly be safe to land this _thing_ on that _path_. I snapped my eyes shut and started chanting in my head: _We're not gonna crash, we're not gonna crash, burn and die._

I felt the plane start its decent and held my breath.

"Breathe, Babe," Carlos ordered, raising his voice over the whirring of the engines.

I sucked in some air and instantly felt relief in my lungs. Bracing myself for impact, the plane touched down and glided to a complete stop much more smoothly than I could have ever imagined. I was simply amazed. Maybe this flying thing wasn't so bad after all.

The pilot shut off the engines, and the silence wrung loud in my ears as my eyes took in the landscape. There wasn't much to see, although it did kind of have a rustic beauty to it.

"_Querida._ Come, let's go." I found Carlos crouched down next to me in the small isle, his hand resting high on my thigh.

Clumsily, I unclipped my seatbelt and stood, only to bump my head on the tiny overhead compartment.

"Ouch," Grumbling, I rubbed my head as Carlos took me by the elbow and steered me towards the exit. Once I had cleared the small hatch door way, he swung me lithely up into his arms, holding me against his chest as he descended the five or so stairs.

"Hey! I can walk you know," I laughed. But it was in that moment I noticed the heat. It must have been at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The dry, smoldering heat burned down my lungs as I inhaled, coughing slightly. I was incredibly thankful that Carlos had set aside a pair of shorts, flip flops and a light t-shirt for me to dress in this morning, even though I had raised my eyebrows at him at the time. Hell, even the boys had forgone their usual black outfits; Carlos was wearing green cargoes and a green shirt, while Tank was dressed in brown. They looked like they had stepped off the cover of _Army Weekly_.

Setting me down carefully next to Lula, Carlos' lips captured mine briefly before he stalked off to help Tank unload our cargo.

"Damn Skippy, it's hotter than hell here!" Lula exclaimed, flapping her hands furiously, trying not only to cool herself but to keep the flies at bay. Man, were there a lot of flies...

I curiously glanced at Lula. She was wearing a skin tight canary yellow singlet, and a bright orange mini skirt. Yikes. Her feet were tucked into a pair of heeled cowgirl styled boots. It surprised me Tank let her come to the outback dressed like that, but then again, no-one tells Lula what to do.

My eyes traveled over to the guys and I gasped. Carlos was throwing large dark green sleeping bag things out of one section of the plane, while Tank was unloading crates packed full of camping gear. No way. Crap. Carlos moved over to help Tank and I watched him lift numerous, heavy jerry cans from the aircraft. They were either full of fuel or water. My money was on both. My eyes widened as I watched two massive black Land Rovers pull up to the plane. Two men, that looked remarkably familiar, ambled over to Carlos and started splitting the gear in half and loading it into the backs of the cars.

"White gurl, what's all that stuff my man be haulin' outta that plane?" Lula demanded, hands on hips. Aw hell, I did not want to be the one to break it to Lula that we were going to be camping in the outback. No sir-ree, Tank could have that pleasure.

"I have no idea Lula, maybe you should go ask Tank yourself," I suggested, shoving my hands in my back pockets and smiling over at the four men who now stood huddled together discussing something.

"You bet your ass that's what I'm gonna do!" Lula abruptly marched off, stumbling over the rough ground, finally making it to Tank. I watched her hands fly around, motioning to the cars and back to the plane and I bit back a laugh. Tank's eyes suddenly shot up to meet mine and the look he gave me screamed _oh shit_!

"WE'RE DOING WHAT? I KNOW I HEARD YOU WRONG TANKIE! NO WAY WOULD YOU THINK THAT I WOULD GO CAMPING! THERE ARE BUGS AND SNAKES AND SPIDERS AND SHIT EVERYWHERE HERE! OH MY GOD! THIS HERE LOOKS LIKE THE PLACE OUT OF WOLF CREEK! OH SHIT, WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Lula screamed, stamping her foot, her arms waving.

I gave up my battle and erupted in a fit of laughter, clutching my side, tears falling down my face.

"Babe." I glanced up and found Carlos with a smirk on his lips. "Time to go." His hands gripped my waist as he straightened me and drew me close to his body. Hugging me close for a minute, he kissed me enthusiastically before tugging me to the closest car.

The two mysterious Merry Men passed us with a nod and a smile and climbed into the plane. I observed Tank and Lula climb into the other Land Rover, Lula still ranting away. Carlos opened the left hand side door.

"I get to drive?" I questioned excitedly. Carlos shook his head and lifted me inside. To my disappointment, I found myself in the passenger's seat... why the hell was it on the wrong side of the car? Carlos swung up behind the wheel and we were quickly motoring off. Thank God the car had air-con, I blasted the jets and pointed three at me, cooling down somewhat. Carlos grabbed a CD from his car sun visor and shoved it into the car stereo system. Classical music filled the space, typical.

"Steph, didn't you notice that they drive on the opposite side of the road to us here? The steering wheel is also opposite," he announced, looking smug. "Need to be more aware, Babe," he chuckled. I scowled.

"We're we going Carlos?" I inquired, twenty minutes into the drive down a dirt road that was extremely bumpy. My mind had been distracted so far by trying to stay in my seat, and not bruise myself.

"To visit a friend of mine. It's only another half hour or so Babe." I sighed and gripped the sissy bar tighter. We had bypassed the small town that I had noticed when we were in the air, and we were heading West... at least I _think_ we were heading West...

"What kind of friend?" I wondered after another five minutes.

"Babe. A friendly kind. I met him on a tour overseas, he retired a few years ago, and he's a year or two older than me." Bitting my tongue I nodded.

"So, he's American?" I questioned curiously.

"No. He's Australian, definitely Australian. You'll get a kick out of him Babe, trust me." His eyes were dancing with humor, his lips twitching.

"Sure," I mumbled.

Carlos took a left and headed down another red dirt track, this one less bumpy. Glancing in the side mirror, I noticed Tank and Lula right on our tail.

My eyes bugged out of their sockets as we approached a massive two story house, with a wrap around veranda encompassing both levels of the entire house. While it seemed to be an older style home, there was obviously no cost spared when it had been renovated. It was gorgeous.

"You're friend lives here?" My voice asked quietly.

"Yeah Babe, try not to be too offended by anything he says." I gulped as we rolled to a stop.

"Carlos, what do you mean by that?" My eyes glanced at the front door, where an incredibly good looking man emerged in dark denim jeans, and an open flannelet shirt which revealed his bare muscled chest. His head was covered by an Akubra hat, tilted slightly to one side. The hair peeking out from underneath formed dark golden curls and the man's skin was the perfect shade of tan. Wow.

"He's a ... colorful character," Carlos smirked again as he jumped from the vehicle and walked coolly over to my door, assisting me down.

I had a hinky feeling about what was about to go down, and the feeling only intensified as the man gazed at me, flashed a cheeky grin in my direction and a quick wink.

Oh boy.

_TBC..._


	6. Chapter 6

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 5

SPOV

"Would ya have a gander at that Shelia! I bet she could suck a golf ball through 40ft of garden hose! I'd be up her like a rat up a drain pipe," The man smiled, as Carlos helped me down from the Land Rover. I had no idea what the hell Carlos' friend had just said, but it sounded dirty.

"Mine!" Carlos growled at the man, pulling me roughly against his side, claiming my lips in a brutal kiss.

"Don't get your tits in a tangle mate, I was just havin' a gander," he chuckled, tilting his hat upwards slightly and grinning like crazy at Carlos.

"Don't." I rolled my eyes as Carlos pushed me behind his back.

"C'mon mate, I'm not gonna touch your shelia, my wife would have me guts for garters!" The man laughed, turning back to the house, watching a gorgeous woman emerge and make her way over to us.

I felt Carlos immediately relax.

"Jack. You got hitched. How've you been?" Carlos smirked and extended his hand to the man.

"Flat out like a lizard drinking. What about you eh? Still as ugly as a box of blowflies I see." Carlos chuckled, releasing me and pulling his friend into a man hug, both pounding each other's backs. Glad someone could understand what the hell the crazy Australian was saying, because I was lost in the dark.

_Where the hell are we?_

"You fellas just came from the big smoke. You're out in the sticks now, love. Better get used to it." The man gently picked up my hand and kissed the underside of my wrist, turning my body to mush. Rapidly I found myself plastered against a familiar chest.

"Jack. Because I like you, you get one warning. She. Is. Mine. Hands off," Carlos' voice was low and deadly, yet _Jack_ continued to smile away.

"Don't spit the dummy Ric, I don't have a death wish... but if your shelia was to come after me..."

"Sorry _mate_ not going to happen," I replied confidently, tucking my chin under Carlos' and placing a kiss under his jaw. His body shuddered and I felt him harden impressively... too bad we couldn't do anything about it.

"Babe, this is Jack Creighton. Jack, my woman, Stephanie Plum." I smiled at him but didn't extend my hand for fear of Carlos' wrath if Jack kissed it again.

"It's nice to meet a friend of Carlos'," I announced.

"He's still intimidating the crap out of people?" Jack wondered, laughing once more as the woman approached and tucked herself against Jack's side.

Jack smiled down at her, dropping a warm kiss to her lips.

"Let me introduce my stunning wife. Steph, Ric, this is Sarah, Sarah, this is the crazy American I was telling you about and his woman." Sarah elbowed Jack in the stomach before extending her hand to me, not even giving Carlos a second glance.

I had a feeling I was going to like this woman.

"Pleasure to meet you. Don't let Jack get to you, he's a world class flirt and he'll do anything to get a rise out of someone," she smiled at me kindly, her grasp firm as we shook hands.

"You too, and thanks for the advice, I know someone like that back home." We laughed a little and shook our heads before we were interrupted.

"Bloody Hell, aint he built like a brick shit house!" Jack chuckled.

Confused, I turned and watched Tank and Lula approach. Lula was still ranting away, her arms waving around.

"Struth, doesn't she stand out like a shag on the rocks?" Sarah smacked Jack's head as the outburst left his lips.

"Play nice, husband of mine," she ordered, her voice teasing.

Laughing, Jack drew her into his arms just as Lula and Tank came along side Carlos and I.

"Tank, Lula, this is Jack and his wife Sarah," Carlos explained stoically.

"Seen better legs on a table," Jack muttered, drawing a laugh out of Sarah and an actual eye roll from Carlos.

"Carlos, what the hell is he talking about?" I whispered as Tank and Lula started conversing with our new Australian friends. We'll, Tank was making appropriate grunts, and Lula was talking a million miles a minute.

Chuckling and nuzzling my neck, Carlos drew us backwards until we stumbled into the hood of our Land Rover. I felt Carlos' hands on my waist, and soon I was sitting on the _very hot_ hood of the black car.

"Ouch! This is hot, too freaking hot!" I squirmed around, trying to find a cool spot. There wasn't one.

"Babe. Stop moving like that. You're testing my resolve." Freezing at the deep tone of his voice, I met his eyes that were incredibly dark with lust.

"Sorry?" I giggled, enjoying the way his eyes were caressing my body.

"Babe." His eyes flashed with humor and his lips titled up slightly.

"C'mon you love birds!" Glancing up, I saw the others heading inside, out of the blistering hot sun.

Smart move.

I started to jump down when I found myself trapped by a warm Cuban body.

"_Querida_. I trust Jack, but I don't want you alone in the same room as him. Alright?" I frowned as he stared me down.

"You don't trust me?" I inched back from his body, slapping his hands away from mine.

"I didn't say that Babe," he growled, catching both my hands in one of his, holding them uncomfortably up above my head.

"Yes you did. You just said you trust Jack, but you didn't want me in the same room as him, meaning you don't trust _me_!" I cried, holding back tears. The day had already been too emotional. I was hot, tired and cranky. I needed a donut._ Wonder how close the nearest Donut King is? Did they have TastyKakes here? What about Boston Creams?_ Focus Stephanie, you're angry, not hungry.

"Because of _his_ nature Steph, not because of you! I just don't want... I _can't,_ lose you Babe. You are the first person I have ever let into my life. Not Rachel, not Julie, not my family; _you_. You're my biggest emotional investment. If I lose you, I'll be broke. Do you understand?" He demanded gruffly.

I couldn't stop the torrent of tears falling from my eyes. From Ricardo Carlos Manoso, that was practically a serenade, or an announcement to the world, that he loved me. I doubted anyone else had heard him with such raw emotion in his voice, or seen his face so expressive.

I slowly slid my hands out of his tight grip and threw my arms around his neck, launching my body at his.

He caught me easily, wrapping my legs around his waist as he peppered kisses against the skin of my neck, shoulder and face. Walking us gradually up to the house, he continually whispered to me in soft Spanish, pulling me tighter and tighter against his body until there was no space remaining. It was so different to witness his emotional side, when previously he was so emotionally blank the majority of the time.

I felt him ascend the few stairs and pulled back from his embrace.

"Put me down Carlos," I whispered, brushing a quick kiss against his lips to soften the blow my words might have.

"_Querida_," he breathed lightly, reverently, before slowly releasing me. I slid down his body bit by bit until my feet touched the ground.

"I'm yours Carlos," I smiled gently, leaning upwards and kissing him once more. I was reluctant to move from his embrace, and I could tell he was as well. Such a novel experience; reading Batman.

"I need a minute Babe," he muttered. I nodded and allowed him to drag me to a wooden bench that sat half way down the veranda. Sitting down, he drew me into his lap, holding me tightly once more.

After a few minutes of silence, he cleared his throat.

"Babe. I think we aren't quite on the same page at the moment, which is my fault. I told you I would try opening up more, but I don't think I have succeeded. We need to be on the same page," he insisted, his eyes were turbulent, his face still awash with raw emotions.

"Ok Carlos, I'm listening," I murmured, reaching up and tracing his lips with my finger.

"I trust you Steph, completely; with my life and with my heart. I lo – " The front door slammed open and Jack poked his head outside glaring at us. I felt Carlos immediately turn his head to the side, so Jack wouldn't be able to read his face.

"Come on you antisocial outcasts. Get your rears into gear and get in here!" Jack ordered, frowning as Carlos failed to make any sort of eye contact.

"We'll be inside in a minute," I replied, giving Jack a small smile as he raised his eyebrows and nodded towards Carlos.

"Alright shelia, one minute, I'm timing." With that he disappeared back inside.

"He always did have the worst fucking timing," Carlos groaned, pressing his lips to a sensitive spot just below my ear.

"What were you saying?" I redirected, I desperately needed to hear the words come from his mouth.

"I was saying that I love you, _querida_. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. This is my last government mission; I'll soon be a free man. I'll be free to love you and care for you. Today is _someday_." I choked on a sob as both his hands cupped my face.

"I love you too. I'm so happy," Was all I managed, before I broke down in hysterical sobs.

"Right, that's it times u– Shit Ric, what the fuck did you do to your shelia?" Jack wondered, from the safety of the doorway. Apparently he didn't do tears.

"I told her I loved her," Carlos answered hoarsely.

"Holy shit! You wait till you bring her out to the middle of nowhere to tell her that? You're still a fucking crazy bastard. Don't know the first thing about women!" Jack ranted as I laughed silently into Carlos' shoulder.

"Jack, leave them alone! Stop harassing them, you can spend time with your mate later." I sniffled and glanced up to watch Sarah drag Jack back inside the house by his ear, muttering something about tying him naked to a tree and leaving him for the animals.

I wondered briefly if all she ever did was try to keep him out of trouble.

"How long do we have before he escapes and comes to harass us again?" I mumbled, kissing a trail up and down Carlos' neck.

"Not long enough," Was his only reply. I soon found his lips insistent on mine in a heady kiss. His tongue delved into my mouth and we dueled, back and forth, for control of the kiss. When my moans started to become increasingly louder, Carlos pulled back panting, a blinding smile on his face.

"I don't care if you don't know the first thing about women, you know everything about me and that's all I care about," I smiled happily, unable to mirror his 1000 watt smile, but coming as close as I could.

"I," _kiss_ "do so," _kiss _"know," _kiss "_everything,_" kiss "_about women," he argued against my skin, cheekily glancing at me with a smirk.

"Careful what you say buddy, that could land you in a lot of trouble," I grinned, teasing him with a nip to his Adam's apple.

"_Babe_," he groaned yanking me flush against his chest. I was trapped, I could hardly move with his arms wrapped around me so tight. I suppose that was his intention. "We need to calm down so we can go inside," he added softly, his voice tender towards me.

We sat silent and still for another few minutes, allowing him to put himself back together, to compose his face and emotions. I knew he wouldn't deal with anyone unless he was sure he was in complete control.

"I love you," Carlos whispered abruptly.

"I love you too," I replied easily, wiggling until I could peer up at his face. He had calmed down immensely; his emotions were once again in check. The only thing radiating from his face was happiness.

Tank was sure to have a go at him, just as Lula was going to interrogate me. We had been out here for a while, I groaned at the thought of what Lula might have come up with to explain our disappearance. That woman had no shame and thought it perfectly acceptable to know every little detail about everything.

"Shall we go in and face the inquisition?" He laughed, tugging on one of my curls.

"If we have to," I exhaled pitifully.

Carlos slid me onto the bench beside him, stood swiftly and helped me up. My hand was safely tucked away in his as he opened the door and ushered us both inside. His arms wrapped around my body as we stumbled in, my back flush to his chest. Tilting my head backwards, I caught a quick grin from him before I saw the scene before me. My mouth dropped to the floor and I heard Carlos release a bark of laughter. That was all it took to set off my own laughter.

This was unbelievable.

_TBC..._


	7. Chapter 7

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 6

I gasped for air, Carlos' arms tight arm my waist holding me up. Wiping the tears away, I straightened and leaned heavily back against him. He chuckled against the shell of my ear as we stood there, smiling like idiots.

I can't believe we hadn't heard this while we were outside, we must have been immersed in our own little bubble.

"Looking good, Jack," Carlos stated smugly. I was shaking from the effort of trying not to laugh.

"Get over here and untie me!" Jack growled.

"No," Carlos smarted, pressing a kiss to my neck.

"Well you're as handy as shit on a stick!" Jack retorted wiggling around on his straight back chair. He wouldn't want to wiggle too much...

"Honey, you keep that up and you'll be giving everyone a free show," Sarah hummed, while spreading jam on a scone and taking a delicate bite.

Jack muttered something under his breath, shooting a glare in his wife's direction.

I allowed my eyes to scan the room once more. I still couldn't believe it.

Jack was handcuffed to a chair, naked, with only a pink cowboy hat covering his genitals. I couldn't even fathom how Sarah had got him in that position. Tank was sitting in an overstuffed chair, an _animal_, of some sort resting in his arms as he fed it a bottle of what looked to be milk. Lula was standing on her chair, alternating between shrieking about the rat in Tank's arms and gawking at the naked Australian man. Sarah simply sat on the couch, sipping her tea calmly as the craziness continued around her.

"It's a baby kangaroo Lula, not a rat," Carlos corrected her, sitting down in the other overstuffed chair located next to Tank. He quickly pulled me down into his lap, drawing me close and peppering my skin with teasing kisses.

"I don't care what the hell it is! It's some kind of freaky rodent and Lula does not do rodents!" Lula ranted, pointing at Carlos and me.

"It's a marsupial, not a rodent," Sarah admonished.

"You sure? Looks like a rodent to me," Lula demanded, hands on hips, turning to face Sarah. I wondered if her chair was going to continue to handle all of Lula's... _stress_.

"Lula-baby, leave it," Tank spoke softly, like he didn't want to disturb the animal. Lula huffed and folded her arms, staring wearily at the kangaroo for a moment before eyeing the piece of man-candy to her left.

We all sat in silence, taking in our surroundings, or more likely, _coming to terms_ with our surroundings, and trying like hell not to burst out laughing again.

Carlos continued to nibble on my skin with his lips and tongue, his hands chastely exploring my body as we waited for someone to do _something_.

I started squirming after a few minutes. Carlos could play this waiting game all day, so could Tank, and I'm sure Jack could too. Sarah was an unknown, but I thought for sure it was going to be either me or Lula who broke first.

"Aww look," Lula suddenly cooed, carefully climbing down off of her perch and ambling over to Tank.

Tank set the bottle down on the floor and tucked the blanket tighter around the kangaroo. I couldn't quite see what had caused Lula's sudden change of heart about the marsupial.

"What?" I inquired quietly.

"He's sleeping," Lula gushed, making goo goo faces at the kangaroo.

"Here, I'll take him and put him back in his bed," Sarah rose easily and cradled the animal in her arms walking swiftly out of the room.

Lula grabbed some anti-bacterial hand wash out of her purse and made Tank clean his hands, much to the amusement of the rest of us.

Once she deemed him _'disinfected_' she sat down in his lap and proceeded to suck his face, _cough, _I mean, kiss his lips.

Sarah quickly returned and took her spot up on the couch again, clearing her throat to separate the lip-locked couple.

"So, dinner will be ready in a few hours. I assume you all wish to get settled into your rooms before then, and I'm sure you boys are dying to have a chin wag. Go on, the sooner you chat, the sooner we can unpack," Sarah clapped her hands together. Tank and Carlos slid out from underneath Lula and I, standing as instructed. Their eyes rested on the naked Jack, then swung back to Sarah. "Oh alright, I'll untie him. Men," she muttered holding out her hand for the key.

Tank handed it over immediately and I found Carlos standing in front of me, blocking my view of the hot naked man... not that I didn't have a perfectly scrumptious one of my own. Said scrumptious man smiled down at me, dropping a sweet kiss to my lips. He only moved away when we heard the unmistakable sound of a zipper.

"See you in a little while, Babe," he murmured almost silently, picking up Jack's shirt and tossing it at his head. I smiled happily at Carlos, giving him a finger wave as he turned away.

I watched Carlos follow Tank and Jack out of the room, Jack still buttoning his shirt. Lula was tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for me to turn back around and face her. I didn't want to; I knew she was going to give me the third degree.

With I sigh, and when I couldn't glimpse Carlos anymore, I turned myself in Lula's direction. Her hands were on her hips and she was staring me down. Sarah was still seated serenely on the couch and gave me a slight smile from behind Lula's back.

"White girl, you got some explaining to do! Why the hell were you out there for so long with Batman-"

"Batman?" Sarah interrupted. I gaped; no one interrupted Lula when she was ranting. That could mean life or death. I couldn't see a gun on her though, so there was still hope we could escape with our lives.

"I like you outback girl, so I'm gonna let you messing up my rant slide. For now," Lula gave a squinty eye to Sarah.

"Batman, as in Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Usually he dresses in black, has expensive black shiny cars, and tends to keep the city of Trenton safe, well, as safe as Trenton can be anyway," I explained, under threat of Lula's glare, which was now back on me.

"Anyhow white girl, you still gotta tell me what went down! I haven't had a chance to talk to your white ass in days! Are you and batman doing the nasty? You gonna be shacking up with him when we go home? He gonna be your man from now on?" Lula's eyes gleamed as she demanded her answers.

"No, maybe, yes," I squeaked out quickly.

"NO!" Lula fanned herself. "I can't believe you haven't tapped that! What the hell you been doing?" I blinked at her and heard Sarah laugh. "And what do you mean by _maybe_ huh? You're either moving into the Batcave, or you're not. What's it gonna be?" She asked. "Cause girl, I gotta tell ya, I always wanted to see the Batcave!" I sighed as Lula started fanning herself again.

"Lula, Carlos and I – "

"Wait! Hold the phone batgirl, _Carlos_? You calling our boy _Carlos_ now? Ooh girl!" I don't think I had ever heard Lula squeal, but apparently, there really is a first time for everything.

"Yes. _Carlos_ and I haven't really discussed any of that yet. We're taking it slow at the moment," I spoke slowly, hoping she would understand and wouldn't find a reason to pounce on me again.

"Really? Huh," she frowned slightly; opening her mouth again, but I beat her to the punch.

"So what about you and Tank?" I questioned quickly, relief flowing thick through my body as she started off on a tangent about her and her man.

Now I just had to settle in and wait for Carlos to return. I hoped the boys wouldn't be too long.

**RPOV**

We ambled into Jack's den, shutting the door behind us and staring at each other wearily. I was fighting a smile, Tank was shaking his head, and Jack abandoned buttoning his shirt, preferring to leave it gaping open.

"How the hell did you let your woman tie you to a chair naked?" I questioned breaking the silence, amused that he had let the small woman best him... not that I didn't think my Babe had it in her to do it to me but...

Tank snorted and started chuckling.

"She walked him back in here and just started stripping him; he didn't even bat an eyelid. Lula started cheering and I thought for sure they were about to get down and dirty. She pulls this crazy hat out of nowhere, holds it in front of his dick, drops his pants and shoves him into the chair. After covering him with the hat, she holds out her hand to me. I had a fucking heart attack. She just yanked my hand cuffs off my belt and cuffed his arms behind the chair and left him there to go make some tea!" I raised my eyebrows as Tank bent over; laughing so loud the walls started vibrating. I had never, in all my time knowing him, heard him speak so much, or laugh so loud.

Stuff like this only happened when my Babe was around. That thought brought a small smile to my face.

"Yeah, bloody woman left me high and dry," Jack muttered, shoving Tank forcefully enough that he stumbled back.

"Well you fucking deserved it after interrupting Babe and I," I added, regretting having spoken when both Jack and Tank started smiling at me.

Fuck.

"So you and Bombshell?" Tank started, a shit eating grin plastered on his face.

I gave him my blank stare and sat down heavily in a chair.

"C'mon mate, don't be a stick in the mud! Kiss and tell!" Jack prompted laughing as he chose another seat. "Time to hit the turps!" He pulled out a bottle of something strong and alcoholic, taking a swig before passing it to Tank.

"Fuck you both," I grunted, grabbing the bottle and taking my own mouthful.

"No thanks man. You nailed her yet?" Tank asked as I took another mouthful. Choking, I sprayed the liquid everywhere.

Shit.

"Don't fucking talk about her like that! Steph isn't just some fucking chick, she's my _Babe_," I growled dangerously, sending a warning look to Tank. He better watch his mouth.

"Still, I bet she's a wildcat in bed. Her hair screams sex." Jack prodded, waggling his eyebrows.

"We're taking things slow," I snarled passing the bottle on, not willing to drink anymore of the potent liquid in case it relaxed me into telling them something they wanted to hear.

Both men, however, groaned miserably at my statement.

"I'm so sorry man, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," Tank patted me heavily on the shoulder, while Jack toasted me with the bottle.

"What the hell is it with chicks and the need to go fucking slow? We're gonna get them in bed sooner or later, might as well be sooner," Jack added, grinning stupidly.

I gritted my teeth before answering.

"It was my idea," I spat out through my clenched teeth. My statement was met with resounding silence and two stunned faces.

"Fuck." They both echoed at the same time.

"You feeling alright man? Have you hit your head recently?" Tank asked carefully after recovering sufficiently.

"Your junk hasn't fallen off, has it? I told you not to screw all those women when we were young. Look what fucking happened." My lips tilted slightly as Jack chastised me. As if he hadn't been doing the exact same thing I was back in our youth.

"I had her in my bed before. I fucked it up, royally, by sending her back to Morelli. She has to trust me again before I can take her back to bed, otherwise I won't be able to keep her, and I _am_ playing for keeps," I announced daring them to dispute my keeping her as my woman.

Tank smacked me on the back of my head roughly. Not many men had the guts to do that. I deserved in this case, however, for hurting Steph. He'd live.

"Dickhead," he muttered, taking another pull from the bottle.

"Bloody Oath. Wait, who the hell is Morelli?" Jack requested, making a snatch for the bottle that Tank was guarding.

"The man who used to be our boy's competition," Tank informed him, not relinquishing the alcohol.

"Struth. The mighty Manoso had some fucking competition. Bet that was a paddle up shit's creek," Jack laughed. "That would have been something novel for Ric." I resisted rolling my eyes.

"Oh, it was. He couldn't walk, talk or think straight whenever Bombshell was around. Ric couldn't figure out whether he wanted her in his bed and in his life or not. He was a fucking train wreck. Glad he fucking grew the balls to make something of it." I was beginning to think that Tank really enjoyed a good bit of gossip. He had kept his trap shut for too long, and now it was all flowing out. _Word vomit_, I think my Babe would call it.

Babe.

How long did we have to spend in here? How long till I could see Steph again?

"He still looks like he's a few kangaroo's short in the top paddock," Jack chuckled. I growled at him.

"I think it might be worse now, he's _love sick_," Tank chortled, snorting some alcohol out of his nose.

"Oh, and your any better with Lula?" I smarted, confiscating the bottle from him and handing it back to Jack who sat there grinning like an idiot. "Or you with Sarah," I continued, his grin didn't diminish.

"I'm head over heels in love with my wife, I aint afraid to admit it," Jack replied, giving me a pointed stare.

"I am not afraid to – " My words were cut off as both Tank and Jack started clucking like chickens, flapping their arms around and moving their heads. This was getting ridiculous.

"Chicken!" Tank laughed.

Grinding my teeth again, I drew in a sharp breath.

"I'm not chick – "

"Scaredy cat!" Jack shouted.

I jumped to my feet as the two idiots continued making their ruckus and periodically shouting insults at me.

"I LOVE STEPHANIE PLUM!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. Both men immediately fell silent, and sat back in their seats. "And just so we're clear, you two pull a stunt like that again and I will shoot both of you in your dicks!" I snarled, turning to the door and yanking it open.

I blinked in surprise as I found Steph standing outside the door. A silly grin started to creep onto my lips.

"_Querida_," I murmured softly, touching her cheek with a gentle finger. She flung her body at mine, her arms around my neck.

"I love you too!" Her laughter was music to my ears, as her words were the beat for my heart.

_TBC..._


	8. Chapter 8

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 7

SPOV

"The Babe is here. Who's coming in second?"Jack smirked from behind Carlos.

I was wrapped around my man, happier than – well the happiest as I had been in a long time, maybe ever. Carlos had just shouted out to the whole house his love for me. If I hadn't been caught up in his arms, then I would have been doing the world's most enthusiastic happy dance.

I felt the grumble roar from Carlos' chest as he turned us, so he faced his friend. The hairs on my neck stood on end as Carlos shot a glare past me towards Jack.

"MY BABE! You do not address her like that!" He snarled before carrying me out of the room and down the hall.

"Come off it mate! We all know you're going to dip your didge!" Jack laughed loudly after us.

We passed Sarah on our way to... somewhere; I wasn't quite sure where we were heading. But I was fairly certain it would be the first secluded flat surface, judging by the way his cock was straining against his cargoes.

She smiled at us cheerfully, giving me a wink and a thumbs up behind Carlos' back.

"Where's our room?" I asked her, rolling my eyes, as Carlos continued forward, not even pausing to hear her answer.

"Third door on the left; up the apple and pears!" She shouted, ending with a snort.

I frowned in confusion, wondering where she had just directed us, when I was suddenly flung over Carlos' shoulder and we were running up the stairs. He was taking them two at a time and I bounced all the way up, trying to steady myself by grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

Within seconds, I found myself flat on my back, Carlos above me, raining kisses all over me. I moaned loudly as his hands started wildly exploring my body. My eyes were hazy with lust as I gazed over his body, my eyes blinking as they stared at the door.

"Door," I grumbled softly as Carlos began sliding my shirt slowly up. "The door."

"What about it?" He muttered, his full attention captivated on the creamy skin he was revealing.

"It's open, and Jack-" His weight disappeared from my body and I heard the door roughly slam and watched him barricade it with a large arm chair.

"He will never lay eyes on you," Carlos promised, crawling onto the foot of the bed.

My body tingled in anticipation as he threw my flip-flops to the floor and worked his way up my body with teasing kisses and caresses.

His tongue traced the bottom edge of my shorts as his hand slipped inside through the bottom, teasing the soft skin at the juncture of my thigh. Groaning and wiggling under his ministrations, I cursed him as he skipped where I needed him most and commenced laving my belly button.

"Lower," I begged as his hair tickled my tummy. Shaking his head, he sat up and drew my shirt completely up, off and over my head.

His eyes hungrily roamed over my chest and swiftly his tongue, teeth and lips were back on my skin, sending fire straight to my doo–dah. I felt his hands settle in my hair, tugging gently, and then he was torturing my neck and ears with his precise affection. My body arched into his and he hissed sharply as I brushed against his manhood.

Murmuring a constant stream of Spanish, his hands deftly slipped me out of my shorts and bra, leaving me almost completely naked beneath him.

"You are overdressed," I complained with a sly grin as my hands crept under his shirt. My nails raked over his abs, drawing a shiver from him as he rapidly tore his own shirt off.

One of his hands found my hip; the other cradled my head as he ground his erection into my overheated core, both of us moaning at the delightful friction.

His lips crashed into mine. My gasp was lost in the kiss as his tongue forced its way into my mouth. The kiss was heady, hot and passionate. We both wanted the other desperately. It had been too long since he had been inside me. Two years too long. Electricity was zinging through both our bodies, the air positively crackled around us.

"I'm," _gasp_ "I'm s-so glad we aren't w-waiting," I panted between breaths as his mouth continued to ravage mine and his lower body ground into mine slowly but forcefully.

I felt him freeze above me, his lips leaving mine as he gazed down into my eyes, blinking a few times. His desire was almost ruling his every thought, yet he still continued to stay frozen above me. I lifted my hips, rubbing my body against his like a cat.

"Shit," he muttered, dropping his head onto my shoulder and burying his face into the crook of my neck. "Shit!" He growled again, against my skin.

Carlos rolled onto his back, dragging me with him. I could feel him calming himself down, his breathing slow, his body relax.

"No! No, don't stop!" I whimpered, pounding on his chest with my free hand.

He easily caught it and held it inside his.

"_Querida_, we have to stop. I'm a man who keeps his promises. I promised you we'd wait until after five dates. If I break this promise to you, then how will you know you can trust me on other matters? I'm sorry Babe, but it's the way it has to be. I don't want to stop. God, do I want to continue this. I've missed your body, missed having you around me," he whispered gently into my ear.

"How many more dates do we have to go on?" I mumbled into his shoulder, trying to stop myself from sobbing. I was frustrated to say the least, and his reasoning had been the tiniest bit sweet.

"One more _Querida_. One more," he paused for a moment. "We're going out tonight!" Carlos announced, jumping out of the bed quickly and dressing.

I frowned into the bed, face down in the mattress.

Carlos flipped me over and redressed me in a flash before moving to the door. I continued to lie there stunned.

"C'mon Babe!" I shrieked as I found myself once again lifted over his shoulder. My eyes were mesmerized on his firm butt as he slowly made his way down the stairs. Guess he was having some trouble walking with his throbbing erection.

Wiggling slightly, I slid down the front of his body, wrapping my legs around his waist. Dropping my lips to his ear, I felt him pause for a brief moment as I nibbled on his lobe, flicking it lightly with my tongue.

"You know," I purred into his ear. "I could fix that _large_ problem for youh" I suggested, and knew my words had hit home when he stopped walking altogether and groaned under his breath.

"Not fair Babe," he muttered, continuing on, back past everyone who had congregated in the living room, and outside into the intense heat.

"Carlos?" I wondered as I heard the jingle of his keys and he allowed me to slide to my feet.

"We need our bag; we'll be here for a couple of days. We're going out tonight and I know you'll want to take your time getting ready," he explained, unlocking the car and dragging our suitcase and his duffle bag out. "Do you need your purse?" I nodded and opened the passenger's door, pulling my purse out. I followed behind him as he walked back to the house, muscles bulging. Again, I simply admired his physique. I ran straight into his back as he paused at the doorway, falling flat on my ass.

"Babe." An amused chuckle escaped his lips as he stepped back inside, holding the door open for me with his foot before ushering me up the stairs in front of him. Glancing over my shoulder, I smirked as I found his eyes glued to my butt. Stopping suddenly at our door, I felt his body stumble into mine.

"_Babe,_" I laughed, mimicking his voice before opening our bedroom door for him.

As soon as he dropped the bags on the floor, I was pinned against the wall, his lips a hair's breadth from mine as his dark eyes stared into mine unblinkingly.

"I love you," he murmured, a small smile tilting his lips.

"I love you," I echoed easily. His lips pressed to mine with a softness that belied his body's aggressive stance.

Now that we had admitted it to each other, it was like we couldn't stop saying it. I knew I never wanted him to cease saying the words.

We kissed gently for a few minutes, until whistles echoed in the doorway. Breaking away, I ducked my head, blushing, before glancing out into the hall.

Tank winked as he passed with a suitcase in each hand and Lula made a vulgar movement with her arms and hips. Laughing, I rolled my eyes and flickered my eyes back up to Carlos'.

"We forgot the door again," I smiled.

"We'll make sure we don't do that tonight." A jolt of pleasure ran through my body as he whispered the words low and huskily into my ear.

Pushing away from me, he caught my hand and guided us back down the stairs.

Falling into the couch, I was once again drawn into his lap.

Jack raised his eyebrows at us while Sarah simply smiled politely. Her quietness and pleasant demeanor almost counteracted Jack's crazy, loud style. _Almost._ I briefly speculated on how they met and ended up in a relationship let alone married.

"Thought you were going to take the ferret for a run, Ric?" Jack wiggled his eyebrows at me. "Or is he that bad in bed?" I choked on air as Carlos snapped out something in Spanish. Jack grinned like mad and shook his head.

We sat in a comfortable silence, me playing with Carlos' hands, while we waited for Tank and Lula to return.

Twenty minutes later, and they finally came back down into the room, Tank and Lula with lazy grins plastered on their faces and sweat coating their bodies. Tank's shirt was also on backwards.

_Wonder what they had been up to?_

Snorting, I laughed under my breath as they collapsed into a couch together.

"I'd like to go out tonight," Carlos announced to the group, pulling me tighter against his chest and dropping a kiss behind my ear.

"Yeah? Pub night?" Jack asked, positively bouncing in his seat, which he also happened to be sharing with Sarah. She was frowning at him as she was rattled around.

"Yes," Carlos' answer was quick.

"Excellent! What time are we heading out?" Jack questioned eagerly.

"1700 hours."

"What the hell kinda talk is that Batman? We aint in the army! Hell, _you_ aint even in the army no more. Why can't you just say five pm, huh? That only gives me and my girls an hour to get ready for all your fine asses!"She pointed at Carlos before turning towards Jack. "You're little country town better be ready for us Jersey girls! We gonna shake this town up!" Lula ranted, latching onto my arm and dragging me out of my comfortable seat. I sighed as Lula moved towards the stairs. "Girl, you coming?" She demanded, turning to stare at Sarah, who giggled, patted Jack on the leg and stood, following us.

No sooner than we were upstairs, Lula quickly pushed me into mine and Carlos' room and ordered me to shower and dress, telling me she would come and inspect me when she was finished. I heard her continue down the hall a fair way, interrogating Sarah about what women usually wore to the pub. I breathed a sigh of relief at the thought that Lula and Tank's room would not be next to ours. Thankfully, well _hopefully_, they wouldn't hear us, and we wouldn't be able to hear them. I did _not_ want to witness firsthand what Lula and Tank did in the sack.That would be one memory I could forever live without.

Shaking the already horrifying thoughts from my mind, I moved to the suitcase, unzipping it, when I heard the door quietly open, close, and the lock click.

Two warm hands settled on my hips and pulled me back upright.

"Babe. How about we conserve water?" I groaned as Carlos nuzzled his cheek against mine.

"But Carlos-"

"Strictly PG, Babe." I snorted at the idea of a PG rated shower with him. Yet we stumbled backwards into our en-suite bathroom and managed to shower without too much _distraction_.

The time was a quarter to five when I finally finished my hair and make-up. My hair was curled softly and left down, per Carlos' whispered request. My make-up I kept light, only darkening my eyes subtly.

I walked out into the main room in a black lace thong and bra and watched Carlos sit up straight on the bed and devour me with his eyes.

"See something you like?" I questioned cheekily, kneeling down in front of the suitcase and searching through it. I had no idea what to wear.

"Like? No. I see _someone_ I _love_." My breath caught as I felt his hand on the back of my neck.

"What should I wear?" I spoke breathlessly, not daring to look up at him, lest I completely melted into a puddle on the carpet.

"Nice jeans and a pretty top will be fine. Go for a pair of sandals or your wedges." I extracted my dark denim jeans, a flowy red top, and white wedges. Standing, I smiled as Carlos observed me dress.

His pants were fitting _very_ snugly.

"White gurl!" Lula shouted prior to barging into the room, pausing as her eyes landed on Carlos.

_"Querida_. I'll be down stairs," he pressed a kiss to my cheek, swiftly disappearing.

"_Chicken shit_," I muttered under my breath.

It was then I finally took a good look at Lula. I sucked in a deep breath and bit down on my tongue.

_Do not laugh Stephanie. Do not laugh. She's your best friend. Don't laugh. _

"Huh, you dressed down," Lula remarked. I simply nodded, my eyes traveling over her.

She obviously hadn't.

Look out world.

Lula was dressed in a strapless dress that barely covered her, uh, _lower regions_. It was skin tight, and for once, she had foregone her usual bright colours. Instead, she had opted for the Australian flag.

Oh boy. This was going to be _entertaining. _

_TBC..._


	9. Chapter 9

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 8

SPOV

We left the bedroom and waited at the top of the stairs for Sarah, who emerged similarly dressed to me, in jeans and a nice top.

"Nice dress, Lula," Sarah smiled broadly winking at me while Lula twirled on the spot.

"Thanks gurl! Let's go show our men how damn fine we are, and how lucky they are to have us!" Lula led the precession down the stairs, all three men standing as we entered the lounge room.

The men were all dressed in jeans, boots, and button down shirts rolled up to their elbows. They all matched, it looked hilarious. Although, I'm guessing, not as hilarious as Lula would look to the Australians in the pub.

Jack's jaw fell open slightly at the sight of Lula. Sarah moved swiftly to his side, gently closing his mouth and kissing his lips softly. I smiled as she snuggled into his side and started whispering in his ear.

"Babe." I jumped as Carlos' arm snuck around me and pulled me tight against his body.

"I know, I know, be more aware. You shouldn't be sneaking around in the first place." I bit back a giggle as I watched a wide smile spread across Tank's face as his eyes took in every inch of Lula.

"To each his own, I guess," Jack muttered, staring intently at Lula's back.

"I don't sneak," Carlos breathed gently in my ear. Shivering, I glanced up at him through my eyelashes.

"Oh, really?" I murmured.

"Yes. Really." Our moment was broken by Jack whistling loudly to supposedly gain everyone's attention. Really, it was probably just to prevent us kissing.

"Let's get this shindig on the road!" Jack chuckled, staring pointedly at Carlos and me. See, what did I tell you?

"I suggest each couple takes a car, so they can leave _early_ if they wish," Carlos divulged, his eyes locked on mine, a smirk on his lips. I gulped as he dipped his head and kissed me until I was dizzy.

"If that's what you want, Ric," Jack laughed again, rolling his eyes so perfectly it would have made any Jersey woman proud.

Everyone agreed, none the less, the men eying their women appreciatively. We parted ways outside, each moving to our respective vehicles.

Jack and Sarah took the lead, Tank and Lula followed and Carlos and I brought up the rear.

We were sitting silently, and I couldn't take it. I had gotten used to Carlos talking; it was weird with him quiet now.

"So what's the pub going to be like?" I wondered nervously.

Carlos smiled and collected my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Loud, dirty, happy and fun," I blinked at him.

"Oh," I responded, not really sure how to answer his statement.

"You'll like it Babe," he assured me.

"And the locals? Are they going to... like us?" I asked.

"Not sure Babe. Anything could happen." Well that didn't exactly reassure me.

"What if – "

"You'll have me there Babe, right by your side. I won't let anything happen to you, or anyone touch you. It'll be fun. We'll eat, drink and dance. Ok?" I nodded.

"Ok. But Carlos – "

"No."

"You didn't even know what I was going to say!" I objected.

"I'm not going to start a fight with anyone Babe," he murmured quietly.

My jaw dropped and my mouth moved like a fish. How on earth could he have possibly known I was going to say that?

"I told you that I wouldn't let anyone touch you. You've seen my protective nature; it was the logical direction for your mind to take. I know _you_ Babe." I huffed and folded my arms, even if I was feeling a little happy that he knew me so well.

We fell into silence again, our convoy making slow progress.

"Can I call you Carlos while we're out?"I requested abruptly.

"You can call me Carlos anytime you like _querida_. I don't mind, I love it, actually." My insides tingled at his admission.

"Good," I smiled, dragging his hand into my lap so I could play with his fingers with both my hands.

"You're still nervous," he stated with a sigh.

"Well, of course I am, we're meeting all these new people, in a foreign setting, in a foreign country. I'm just not sure what to expect and it's freaking me out a bit," I answered, staring at his hand.

His fingers were rough, but the top of his hand was so smooth. I loved his hands. Oh the things he could do with his magical fingers...

"Babe, Lula will be running distraction. There won't be any attention on us." That did make me relax a little. Lula would certainly be the center of attention, I hoped so anyway.

I kissed Carlos' palm and softly stroked his hand, reassured by his words and his presence.

It would be ok... hopefully.

A little over an hour later, we pulled to a stop.

The building was about the quarter the size of Jack and Sarah's house. It was mostly wooden, with a tin roof; it seemed structurally sound... but also seemed like it had been there for a good half a century. There were quite a few cars parked out front, mostly monster Utes and Land Cruisers.

Carlos helped me down from the car, and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me protectively into his side.

We all met up and entered together. It wasn't what I expected, that's for sure. Hell, the building was even air conditioned. There was a nice clean bar area, a section full of padded booths, and some tables and chairs were scattered around, a small dance floor was off to the side and there was a stage area for a band. There appeared to be a kitchen behind the bar area, where waitresses were coming and going with food. I noticed a small hallway that led towards the back of the building, where I assumed there were toilets, another exit and perhaps another room.

When we arrived, the pub was already half full, even at the early hour. The noise was mostly friendly chatter. Until they noticed us, that is, then they all simultaneously fell eerily silent.

Jack and Sarah waved to a few people, while Carlos directed me to a spare booth. Tank and Lula slid in on the other side, across from us, as Jack and Sarah sat next to Carlos.

The noise level gradually picked back up, but I did notice a few whispers and glances in our direction. Oh, and the women practically throwing themselves at Carlos. One tripped over a chair, another walked into the bar, another bumped into her partner and spilled beer all over his shirt.

I guess I would just have to get used to all the attention Carlos drew from women. The arm around my waist suddenly tightened and I felt Carlos' hand on my jaw a second before he pressed me against the wall and thrust his tongue into my mouth. He kissed me forcefully for a delicious long minute and released me slowly. I panted, my eyes opened, flicking to his. Raising both my eyebrows, he gave me a thousand watt smile and tucked me back into under his arm.

He didn't explain himself. Personally, I thought the eyebrow raise would have indicated to him that I wanted to know what his deal was. Guess not.

"What the hell was that about?" I whispered, my eyes staring at the side of his face.

Smiling at me _again_ he brushed his lips lightly against mine.

"Now all the women know I belong to you, and all the men know you belong to me. You can stop glaring at them now, Babe," he chuckled as he rubbed his nose against mine.

"But I – you. I wasn't glaring!" I argued.

"You were glaring Babe. I thought I was going to have to hide my gun, just so you couldn't shoot them." I rolled my eyes and smacked his arm for good measure.

"Smart ass," I muttered.

"You love my ass," he growled into my ear just as a young waitress stopped at our booth.

She smirked and glanced at Sarah.

"Don't mind them, they're new to love," Sarah easily dismissed us, waving her hand and grinning at me.

My face heated and Tank let out a bark of laughter.

"Are you ready to order?" The girl asked, grinning at me.

"Uh... what's on the menu?" I wondered, gazing around the table. There was no menu.

"Jack?" The girl faced away from me, shaking her head.

"Burger, fries and a XXXX gold," he replied easily. "Same for you, honey?" His shoulder nudged Sarah's.

"Yes, thank you," Sarah laughed, ruffling Jack's hair.

"Me too!" I piped in, my stomach protesting just on the thought of not eating at all. It couldn't be that bad. Burger and fries, right? And something called a XXXX gold?

"Same here, thank you," Carlos echoed.

Tank ordered the same as well.

"Can I get a serve of southern style chicken wings, fries and some onion rings?" Lula requested. "Oh, and a Long Island Iced Tea."

The waitress laughed and shook her head.

"We don't do southern style chicken, sorry, or Long Island Iced Tea, whatever the hell that is." I recoiled back into the seat as Lula's face contorted into anger.

"What do you mean, you aint got no southern style chicken wings?" Lula exclaimed.

"Lula baby, calm down. Have the burger," Tank suggested calmly.

"Calm down? Calm _down_? Excuse me? Do I look like I need to calm down?" Lula ranted.

"Yes!" All six of us answered together.

She huffed and muttered something under her breath.

"She'll get what everyone else is having, with a side of onion rings, thanks," Tank translated.

"Your food will be out shortly," The waitress smiled at the three men, before moving on to the next stable.

We sat and chatted easily while we waited. Our group meshed into the crowd, sliding under the _fresh meat_ radar as the pub filled up.

The food arrived after around forty minutes; my stomach growled as I stared at the feast before me. It looked and smelled delicious, and it turned out the XXXX gold was a beer.

I sunk my teeth into the burger, swallowing my first bite ravenously before savoring the next few. Lula had already demolished hers and was working her way through her onion rings.

"So I take it you enjoyed the roo burger," Jack chuckled, slyly steeling an onion ring as Lula's face froze. I'm sure I was wearing the exact same expression.

"The _what_ burger?" I demanded, putting down the half I had left.

"The kangaroo burger," Jack's eyes were twinkling as he announced that little bit of information.

I removed the top piece of bread from my burger and investigated.

The meat looked like steak. It smelled like steak, and it tasted pretty much like steak.

"You're shitting me," I chuckled, putting my burger back together and taking another bite.

"No Babe, he's not, Australia is the only country where they eat their national emblem," Carlos educated me.

I gulped down my bite and stared at my burger.

"How can you guys eat something so cute?" I cried. Well, it _did _taste mouth-watering but...

"They're a pest, well not a pest per se, but they overrun the country side, they're a very overpopulated species. It's a good source of meat, and it tastes good. How can we not eat it?" Jack shrugged.

I fought with my conscience for a moment. It _was_ already dead. Not eating it would just be a waste of good food. I started eating again, my stomach victorious.

I glanced at Lula, who still seemed to be frozen.

"I just ate rodent. Excuse me." My eyes bulged as she dashed from the booth, down the hall.

She returned after a short while, happier than when she left. We finished our meal, and Carlos paid the bill, not listening to anyone's protests.

The pub now looked to be at full capacity and Lula seemed to be itching to immerse herself with all the people.

"Well, I'm gonna go meet some of these bush-folk," Lula proclaimed, strutting off into the crowd, dragging Tank with her.

"Can I shoot her?" Jack muttered, his eyes wide as he watched Lula introduce herself to every person in the bar, young and old. 

"Not in public, dear," Sarah patted his cheek, kissing his lips before smiling.

He pulled her into her lap and nuzzled her neck softly.

"You know, I still haven't punished you for that stunt you pulled early," he whispered suggestively in her ear.

Carlos tightened his arm around me, his chest silently shaking with laughter.

"Well, I'm gonna go drain me dragon," Jack suddenly proclaimed, standing up, his eyes locked on Sarah's.

"I'll come with you..." she stood quickly and took his hand, following behind him as they escaped to God knows where. I hoped it wasn't the toilet, I sure as hell didn't think it would be very clean.

Tank returned briefly, only to stand up moments later and quickly stride back over to Lula, who had gathered quite a crowd of boisterous men, who seemed to be very interested in her... _dress_.

I laughed as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The men all took a noticeable step backwards.

Carlos' lips dropped to my ear. I shivered as he simply breathed against my neck, his breath hot and heavy.

"I can't wait to get you all alone _querida_. I can't wait to be buried deep inside you, my cock in your hot, wet, tight pussy. I can't wait to lick you, to taste you again. It has been far too long. My dick is so hard, throbbing for you. It's missed you _querida_. I've missed you, so much," His words were softly spoken, yet they sent fire straight to my doo-dah.

His arms pulled me onto his lap, his cock nudging against my ass.

I trembled as his lips trailed against my neck, pleasuring me innocently.

"Damn guys, you trying to burn this place down or what?" Lula huffed, taking a seat as Tank slid in next to her.

I guess he wasn't pleasuring me _so_ innocently...

Tank snorted.

"Okie dokie folks!" An old man, who looked just as wrinkly as my Grandma Mazur, stood at the band's microphone, smiling. "Tonight's band... the _Bush Tappers_, are just about ready to start; I want to see all of you on the dance floor, especially you new folks!" Tank and Carlos both laughed.

The little old guy handed the mike to the lead singer of the band.

"I like him. He says okie dokie,"Lula revealed. "You know, he also kinda reminds me of your granny. You think they'd make a cute couple?" She turned, staring intently at me.

I choked on my beer and started laughing.

"Uh, yeah, sure Lula." I sat my drink back down. Sometimes it was a hazard trying to drink anything when Lula was around.

The band started playing, a few lively songs that the locals got up and danced happily too. Lula and Tank also got up and joined them, laughing as they acted like fools. It was good to see them both having some fun.

Soon, the band struck up a slow country song and I felt Carlos squeezing my hand as he stood up with me.

"Let's dance, Babe."

We moved together to the small square dance floor, where various other couples were moving slowly.

My arms automatically made their way around Carlos' neck. His hands moved to my hips, pulling me flush against him as he swayed us from side to side, creating delectable friction.

I buried my face in his shoulder to stifle my moans. The longer we danced, the tighter his hands got on my hips. The faster the songs became, the faster our swaying, _well I guess our movements were more along the lines of grinding_, became.

His leg slipped between mine at one stage, and I was so close to the edge of climaxing, when he pulled away.

"Ready to go Babe?" He practically panted in my ear.

I nodded and we shuffled, his back flush against mine and our lips locked, back to our table.

Jack and Sarah were back, and Tank and Lula were sucking each other's faces.

Carlos' lips seemed to be glued to my skin.

"We're leaving," I spoke, breathlessly.

"See you at home," Sarah laughed, elbowing Jack in the gut before he could say anything.

"We'll catch ya later, eh? After you've rooted like rabbits!" Jack yelled, dodging Sarah's second elbowing attempt.

Ignoring him, Carlos and I stumbled outside, making our way to our car.

I heard Tank and Jack cheering at Carlos from behind us.

I guess boys will be boys.

_TBC..._


	10. Chapter 10

**BABE. Not Morelli friendly...he's only going to be mentioned once or twice, and that's it. **

**Warnings: Minor Language, heavy petting, smut in later chapters... don't know about violence... probably not. **

**All recognized Plum characters/settings/plots belong to Janet Evanovich.**

**NOTE: The characters are slightly OOC...I'm sure Steph has been on a plane before, but just go with it people...think of it as **_**poetic license**_**...or whatever.**

* * *

Chapter 9

SPOV

"Where are we going?" I wondered, my body tingling as his hand tightened on mine.

"Somewhere private," he answered, opening the car door and depositing me in my seat, quickly buckling me in. A thrill shot through my body as his dark eyes met my blue. A second passed before his lips crashed into mine and we shared a heated kiss.

Cat calls and whistles echoed from the door of the Pub.

Tearing his lips from mine, his knuckles softly ran along my cheek as he pulled away, closing my door.

I laughed as he flipped everyone off while he walked to the driver's door.

Once inside, he firmly placed my hand on his thigh. Shifting gears, the tires spun as he sped out of the small car park.

My hand strayed upwards and I stroked his hard cock through his pants, smiling as he groaned and captured my hand tightly in his.

We drove along in a tense silence, electricity zinging between us as our gazes occasionally met. He brought my hand to his lips every so often, kissing or licking each one of my fingers before resettling our intertwined hands on his thigh, or the gear shift.

I had no idea where we were, but we were at least twenty minutes out from the tiny town, traveling along a narrow dirt road that seemed to be heading nowhere.

A small patch of trees encompassed a bend we passed and Carlos swiftly swung the vehicle to a stop on the other side.

We would be sheltered from the view of others; able to hear them long before they approached.

"Stay here, Steph. I'll be back in a minute." His fingers sunk into my hair and his lips brushed against mine, once, twice, before he silently escaped from the vehicle. I sat in a daze, my mind whirling, my heart racing with excitement.

I heard him pop the back door and sort through some of the camping gear. When the door shut, I jumped slightly, and then felt the car move as he climbed on top.

Three minutes later, he was beside my door, helping me out.

His lips found mine again, this time for a slow, drawn out, passionate kiss. When I was gasping for air, Carlos lifted me up, so my legs could wrap around his waist. My arms locked tightly around his neck and suddenly, he was quickly climbing up the car.

He laid my body down, covering my body with his. I was surprised by the soft texture of sleeping bags beneath us, instead of the cool roof.

I smiled softly as his eyes burned into mine, his fingers ghosting over my face, chest and arms.

Carefully, he slid my top up and over my head, dropping it beside us.

His gentle smile as he gazed at my body reminded me of his love.

Carlos meticulously licked, suckled and kissed every scrap of skin revealed from my waist up. My breasts, which were unfortunately covered by my bra, received no attention.

I was squirming under him, begging for the pleasure I had been privy to only once before. It wasn't something I was likely to forget. He really had ruined me for all men. His attention as a lover left me quaking, with just the thought of what he could do to me, how he could raise my body to such tremendous heights again and again.

I hadn't realized I was frantically panting and moaning until his mouth covered mine and he swallowed every one of my mewling sounds.

His hands slid under my back, arching me towards him, before he pinched the clasp on my bra, releasing my breasts from their confines.

I drew in a sharp breath as he discarded my bra and stared intently at my breasts.

"Perfection," he muttered, both hands encompassing my breasts, massaging them gently.

Soon his mouth set to work on one, gently suckling and nipping. His stubble grazed my soft skin, drawing continuous whimpers of pleasure from me. He caressed each one thoroughly, not satisfied until my skin was completely flushed, my breathing erratic and my body on the point of release.

Carlos' hands grasped my waist lightly, his lips brushing against mine once again.

"Soon, _querida_. I promise." I shivered as his rough voice washed over me, goose bumps erupting all over my skin.

My fingers shook as I worked on the buttons of his shirt, his mouth drawing moans from me as he teased a particularly sensitive spot on my neck.

His shirt finally fell open and he quickly shrugged it off, sliding his body against mine. We groaned in unison as our skin burned each other's flesh. His chest pressed forcefully against my breasts as his tongue dove into my mouth.

I bucked my hips upwards into his, crying out as he ground back, his erection hot and hard against my throbbing center.

My hands ran up and down the smooth, toned expanse of his back; my nails scraping lightly when he sporadically ground his hips into mine.

Our lips were locked in a heated battle and my hands had just slid below the waist of his pants, squeezing his impeccably toned ass when...

My cell phone rang.

It vibrated between us for a moment, pulling a deep groan from Carlos' throat, before the music started playing. Then it was my turn to groan. I was going to kill him for calling at this moment... although Carlos might want that right himself...

"Babe. The funeral march?" Carlos panted into my neck, fishing my phone out of my front pocket, making sure he touched me in some _very _interesting places before actually extracting it.

"Morelli's calling," I replied, panting beneath him.

"_Fucker_," I thought I heard Carlos mutter before flipping the phone open and answering with a "Yo!"

I watched as Carlos' expression remained blank as he listened, and then he slid the phone between his shoulder and ear, glancing at me with a wicked smile.

_Oh boy_!

I shivered as he ran his hands up my legs slowly, before splaying them out on my stomach. He slowly drew the zipper on my jeans down and within seconds had my panties, jeans, and shoes stripped off me in almost one swift movement.

He paused, his eyes sweeping up from my toes, pausing on my, surely dripping, center, moving upwards and resting on my breasts, and then, with agonizingly slowness, he met my eyes. His were obsidian pools of lust, desire and love.

Carlos efficiently toed off his boots and socks and slid his jeans off.

He crawled up my body, his cock rubbing up and down my slit as I clamped a hand over my mouth, trying to muffle my sounds.

"Hang up the phone!" I begged quietly, my mind clouded with desire for the man above me.

Carlos shook his head no, another glinting smile spreading across his face. He held himself just above me on one elbow and I squirmed as his free hand moved down to my aching core.

"Don't you dar– _uh!"_ My protest morphed into a moan as his fingers traced circles around my clit. I cried out as his fingers suddenly plunged inside me; my back arched and my nipples brushed against his chest, a whimper escaping me.

I heard Morelli shout something through the phone, not catching the words as Carlos' fingers curled inside me, hitting my sweet spot. I did, however, catch Carlos' aggressive answer.

"No, I'm not _fucking_ her; I'm making love _with_ her. Go fuck yourself."

Without warning, his fingers were removed and his cock thrust into me fully.

"Carlos!" I screamed, unable to hold in my response as his body intruded mine. Pure ecstasy raced through my body, fireworks exploded behind my closed eyelids. I needed Carlos, plain and simple; he completed me in a way no one else, no other man, could.

He froze, unmoving within me, his body trembling above mine.

"Morelli wants to talk to you," he gritted out, holding the phone to my ear.

I was thrashing and panting, begging Carlos to move, urging him with my hands, when I heard Morelli's voice in my ear, yelling. The phone moved away and Carlos was speaking again.

"She seems preoccupied at the moment. She'll call you back in the next decade or two." I growled at Carlos as he chuckled and turned off my phone.

"You think you're funny?" I asked. His hips flexed and his cock plunged into me again.

"I think I'm adorable," he grunted, propelling into me once more, taking my lips in a rough kiss. "I also think I just fucking showed Morelli that you're _mine_!" I whimpered as he punctuated his last word with a powerful thrust.

His cock moved in and out of me slowly but forcefully, until I was begging him to go faster, lifting my hips urgently to meet his thrusts.

He finally snapped when I started stroking him where we were joined, a feral snarl ripped from his throat. Carlos' movements sped up instantly, the sounds of his balls slapping against my skin echoed around the cool night air.

I found my hands bound in one of his, pressed up above my head. His body weight was almost fully bearing down on mine. One of his hands slid between us, expertly rubbing my clit as he shifted his hips and changed his angle, hitting another spot deep inside me that made me see stars.

My walls clenched around him tightly as I came suddenly; his movements hardly slowed though, and within minutes, I found myself coming a second time. He followed me over the edge, his body tensing as he emptied inside me with a soft spoken '_querida_' and a groan.

His full weight bore down on me for a long minute as he recovered before rolling off of me and dragging me into his arms.

I was shaking, exhausted and overwhelmed. My eyes glanced up at the sky and I gasped; I don't think I had ever seen so many stars. They shone so brightly, twinkling against the dark night sky.

"You're crying. Did I hurt you?" His voice was upset as his fingers brushed across my cheeks, his lips pressing against the moisture.

"No. I love you," I murmured gently, snuggling into his embrace, pushing my face into his chest.

"I love you, too, _querida_," he sighed, shifting me so I was spread out on top of him.

A cool breeze chilled my sweaty skin, and I shivered against him.

The soft material of one of the sleeping bags was draped over my body before Carlos' arms tightened around me.

I quickly found myself drifting off to the light sounds of Carlos' breathing and the comforting night noises. It seems I enjoy the quiet of the outback.

**RPOV **

I felt her body become completely lax as her breathing slowed and deepened. I pressed her closer to me and buried my nose in her hair.

We couldn't stay out here all night. The temperature was still dropping and we'd both be stiff in the morning if we did. However, I was enjoying the moment too much to move right away.

An hour later, I had Steph dressed in my shirt, her panties, and wrapped in the sleeping bag, safely tucked away on the back seat of the Land Rover.

I had my jeans on and was slowly driving the car back to Jack's house; I didn't want to jostle my Babe too much.

Much to my chagrin, I also had a great big dirty smile on my face.

Making love with Stephanie was like nothing I had ever experienced with another. Her sounds drove me completely wild, her voice, her scent, her responses all made the experience that much more pleasurable. Not to mention the fact that our bodies practically hummed whenever we touched. I loved her too much for words to describe.

Fucking Morelli, always after my Babe. He wasn't fucking getting her back this time, though. She was now forever mine.

I continuously checked on her, making sure she was comfortable.

It took over two hours to make it back to the house. Once parked close to the front door, I noticed the others were back also.

Silently exiting the car, I collected Steph in my arms and walked to the house.

The door opened before I got there and Jack stood nearby with a stupid grin on his face as he allowed us inside. I made sure every inch of my Babe was covered. Only her crazy curls spilled out everywhere, much to my satisfaction.

"See you in the morning," he chuckled. I growled at him as he ruffled Steph's curls and waltzed off.

I climbed up the stairs and laid her down in the middle of our bed. She sighed and curled into a ball, burying her face in a pillow.

Smiling, I shut and locked the door, quietly barricading it with a chair, just to be on the safe side. I wouldn't put it past Lula to come barging in for some reason or another.

Tugging the sleeping bag away from Steph, I dropped it on the floor and undressed her. Shucking my jeans, I drew us both under the blankets. Pressing a few kisses to her face, her body curled into mine.

"Batman?" she mumbled sleepily.

"I'm Batman," I exclaimed softly, watching a smile spread across her face.

"Yeah, you're Batman..." Her breathing evened out again, and I closed my eyes, almost asleep, when she whispered, "I love you, Batman."

I woke in the early morning light to a riot of curls tickling my face.

Steph, my Babe.

I slowly rolled her underneath me, gently kissing her, softly stroking her skin. She stirred slightly, moving with and towards my body. My hands roamed across her stomach, stroking up her sides, her arms and finally her breasts. I trailed little kisses over her face, my fingers playing with her curls, massaging her scalp. I pressed my lips against hers carefully, smiling as hers followed when I moved away again.

I kissed my way to her thighs, encouraged when a moan left her lips. My lips brushed slightly against her clit and I felt her body tense, her breathing change.

Babe was awake.

I crawled over her, my lips kissing her ear before I spoke.

"You're so beautiful, _querida_. So sexy. I want to be inside you. I love you. Your skin is so incredibly soft and smooth. Your body is so responsive to my touch." I smiled as she whimpered, her arms wrapping around my neck, pulling me close.

Her eyes were still closed as she kissed me sleepily. I quickly deepened the kiss, rocking my hips against hers. She was already wet, the moisture seeping out onto my cock. I slowly pushed forward, burying myself inside her.

We made love slowly, Steph waking up a little more with each thrust until she was moaning and writhing under me.

Our climaxes were gentle as we came together.

"Good morning to you, too," she sighed after we recovered. I kissed her smiling lips, appreciating the gorgeous glow her skin had.

That was _all_ me.

"C'mon, Steph, let's go get some breakfast." I carried her to the shower, where I took her hard and fast against the wall, our sounds echoing loudly around us.

We dressed together, smiles radiant on both our faces.

I swung her up into my arms, delighted by her laugh as we made our way downstairs.

She tensed in my arms as we entered the kitchen. Her jaw became slack and I swear drool pooled in her mouth. I brushed my lips against her ear, chuckling.

"You know, they are only donuts. They're not love," I murmured.

She smacked my arm, kissed me briefly and jumped down from my arms.

"I already have love; I can enjoy donuts all I want!" Her tongue poked out at me from between her lips.

My eyes darkened and my pants tightened.

"Stop giving me ideas, Babe."

_TBC..._


End file.
